The Old You
by ACDCxCARMINE
Summary: After the war Naruto has lost his shine. Becoming depressed and a hermit Naruto refuses to move on, but with the help of his friends and a special blonde will Naruto become whole once again? Or be a fraction of his former self forever? NARUINO
1. Chapter 1 Silence

The Old You

(AN: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! This is my first fan fiction and I've had many ideas for many years, so I finally decided to put it on paper, so to speak. I am very much welcome to open, constructive criticism such as story, characters, or even grammar mistakes that I have overlooked. Just a heads up, I'm terrible when it comes to commas. I hope to get better with time with the help of reviews and practice, so just stay with me if I'm not up to par at first. Thank you and I hope you enjoy. )

(AN2: Last chapter read as of the start of this Fan Fiction- Naruto Manga 684)

(I will use a lot of information based off of the recent manga ((but will not follow all of it forever and will break off into my own story, such as Obito is dead and Kakashi and Sakura are in the real world as of the start of this story)) so if you're confused with some of the aspects with the early battle and story… READ THE MANGA!)

Chapter 1

Silence

It has been 6 months since the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War. 6 months since my 18th birthday, where everything changed. I sit here in my room…and think over the events of what had unfolded. I was promoted to Jonin upon our arrival home from the war, but I was put on inactive duty because of my extremely depressed state. I constantly flash back to the war and think how strange it all was. Not many people get to say they lost friends, sealed away a great evil, and won a freaking war on their birthday. I was named a hero for the second time; though this time, for the entire ninja world. Such a meaningless title to me now. It's hard to be happy or even enjoy such a title. How could I? When I… lost my best friend. Unable to save him… even with all my so-called tremendous power.

I've spent all of these past months alone, not bothering to leave my home. When I do, it's just for food and household needs. I haven't seen any of my friends in that time, nor do I want to. How could I face any of them? We might have won the war, but I failed with my promise. I've lost the urge to move on, putting my dreams on a hiatus. I'm just a fraction of my former self, unwilling to progress with my life. It doesn't help that the events of that night keep ringing through my mind, numbing me, making me wish for a death that could never come, no matter how far I fall. After all, I made… HIM… a promise… Even if I'm barely who I used to be, I can't give up… because I'm still me…the future Hokage… And a promise is a promise. My mind wanders to relive that night again… over and over… I picture it.

_Flashback: Fourth Great Ninja War – Date: October, 10_

_Naruto, Sasuke, and the Mother of all Ninja, Kaguya, were currently in the innermost dimension of Kaguya's dimensional shift jutsu. _

_The land is covered in sand as far as the eye can see. There is a hot, stale wind in the air blowing up clouds of sand and dust. A cloudless sky casts upon the battle field, where the sounds of metal and shouting ring through the air. _

"_SASUKE, GET DOWN!" Naruto yells while hovering 20 feet in the air above Sasuke._

_Sasuke jumps to the ground just as a blade meant to pierce him in the back passes over, nipping at his hair. _

"_Damn; with her dimension jutsu, she can get behind us quicker than we can counter," Sasuke says while standing._

"_Just keep on the move while I think of something!" Naruto floats down to stand next to Sasuke. _

"_You come up with a plan! Don't make me l-" starts Sasuke, but a long blade passes between them, creating a soft whistle through the air. Both of them jump apart, kicking up dust._

"_*Cough, cough*… Great, just great, now I can't see!" yells Naruto._

"_Shut up, Naruto!" yells Sasuke "keep your god damn emotions under control."_

_The dust settles to reveal Kaguya standing 10 feet across from Sasuke and Naruto, holding two more 2-foot blades in her hands._

"_Your bickering annoys me. Please be silent while I kill you both," Kaguya whispers emotionlessly._

_Naruto grits his teeth and starts to hover above the ground. _

"_You know, you're really starting to piss me the fuck off, lady!' Naruto clenches his fists, making his knuckles pop._

"_Naruto, I just told you to keep calm!" Sasuke says. "If we let ourselves get out of hand, this fight is over for us."_

"_**He's right, Naruto; just keep calm and we'll think of another trick to get within her defenses." Kurama says. **__(Nine Tails) __**"Though, try not to be as retarded as to use a perverted jutsu again."**_

'_Hey, that almost worked, so don't judge me! I'm supposed to be unpredictable!' Naruto thinks. 'But you're right… Have any ideas?'_

"_**No, none of us do**__ (the other 8 demons)… __**but we might be able to use all of this dust to our advantage." Kurama says, getting a sly grin.**_

'_What, like blind her?' Naruto asks._

_Naruto uses his black chakra swords to block 3 more blades thrown by Kaguya. Naruto flies back 10 feet to gain some distance._

'_You know she has the Byakugan, right… She can see through anything with those eyes!' Naruto thinks with a sarcastic look on his face._

_Sasuke charges a Chidori and rushes in at great speed towards Kaguya. He jumps high into the air, using one of Naruto's chakra platforms to quickly change direction at flickering speed. Right as Sasuke is about to strike, Kaguya slips into her portal and vanishes from sight, causing Sasuke to smash into the ground, leaving a crater where his Chidori hit. _

"_Hm… She's so fast, my body can't keep up with her," Sasuke says_

_Sasuke turns to look over at Naruto, slightly irritated by his seemingly uninterested posture. "You know, I could use your help with this, Naruto!" _

_Naruto blinks in realization. "Ya, ya, I'm talking with Kurama about that, so could you give me a SECOND!" Naruto retorts while his left eye twitches in annoyance. _

_Kaguya charges out from a portal behind Naruto, lashing out with her blade to slash him in the back. With no time to react, Naruto uses one of his chakra orbs to create a barrier between him and Kaguya. The strike causes a small explosion, sending Naruto flying to the ground face first. _

_(WHAM!) _

"… _Yep…. really starting to hate this bitch…" Naruto coughs while spitting up sand. _

"_**Naruto… Can you still transfer chakra like you did with the army?" Gyuki**__ (8 tails) __**asks.**_

'_Uhhhhhhhh... well, ya...Why?' asks Naruto with an eyebrow raised while deflecting another blade from Kaguya._

_Naruto dashes forward, weaving between oncoming projectiles as he flicks his hands together. "Kagebushin no Jutsu!" Naruto summons 3 clones: 2 float in front of the original to defend while the third helps prepare a Rasengan._

"_Sasuke, watch my back!" Naruto yells over his shoulder._

"_Hn," Sasuke retorts._

"_**Can you transfer chakra to non-living objects, and most importantly… can you use another person's chakra?" asks Gyuki, growing serious.**_

"_RASENGAN!" Naruto makes contact with Kaguya, but it has little effect on her, and Naruto is sent flying back, hitting a dune of sand._

_**(CRASH!)**__ Sand flies into the air._

_Naruto crawls out of the new crater, dusting himself off and wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. _

'_I have no idea! I'm doing my best just to double-task here, and you're asking questions that I can't possibly answer!' screams Naruto. _

"_**Yes, we can, but it requires full cooperation with whoever's chakra we are using. There's a catch in which the chakra donor loses all of their chakra, as well as we lose ours. We can give chakra in whatever amount is needed to whomever, but taking chakra is an all in or all out endeavor," Kurama informs. **_

_**(BOOM!) **__An explosion____from Sasuke's Chidori and Kaguya's chakra-enforced blades connecting sends Sasuke slamming into Naruto, causing both to be thrown to the ground. Kaguya is also sent flying back, but disappears by going into a portal. _

"_GAH! Dammit Sasuke, I'm trying to strategize here!" Naruto yells, jumping to his feet and growing disk-sized, white, chibi eyes and growing red with frustration._

"_For the second time, dobe, you couldn't come up with a good strategy if it bit you on the ass!" Sasuke yells back, jumping to his feet with equal enthusiasm. _

"_GRRR! Just shut up, Sasuke! Gyuki has a plan and he needs your help. I'll let him tell the rest," Naruto says while he mind swaps with Gyuki._

_Naruto's eyes become the white orbs of Gyuki._

"_Wait, what?" Sasuke asks._

"_**Sasuke, this is Gyuki, the 8 Tails. I need to use your lightning affinity for an all-out, last ditch effort to seal Kaguya." **_

"_What do you have in mind?" asks Sasuke, raising an eyebrow. _

"_**A large scale chakra flash bang." Sates Gyuki **_

"_I see... to deal with that annoying Byakugan of hers," Sasuke says while smiling. "I like it… but how will we accomplish this?"_

"_**With Naruto's ability to transfer chakra, he will send all of his chakra throughout the battle field. The sand and dust in this area will be used as a container to hold the chakra from disappearing; it will also act as a conductor. When you use your Chidori, it will blend with Naruto's chakra and the sand, creating a massive flash bang, blocking out her eyes for a brief amount of time. Based on how she froze up with Naruto's Sexy Jutsu, she should do the same again, giving you two a window to get your Yin and Yang powers on her and finish this fight…. But there's a catch." **_

"_What kind of catch?" asks Sasuke. _

"_**Since we will not be giving you chakra as usual but taking it, we can't regulate the flow as effectively, so we need to take a lot… All of it. Naruto will have to mold and keep it in balance, using up his reserves as well. This is why this is a make or break plan," Gyuki informs cautiously.**_

'_Hnn… all of it, huh?' "Very well; the plan might just work, but once she's flashed, how will we keep her from slipping into another portal?" asks Sasuke._

_Naruto's eyes change once again, this time to the black and gold diamond eyes of Shukaku (1 Tail)._

"_**You just leave that to me! Nothing a Sinking Mud Floor Jutsu can't handle to keep the pesky human from running, fufufu," says Shukaku with a hint of a laugh.**_

"_Alright, then just give the cue when it's all ready, and we will end this." says a determined Sasuke._

_Naruto returns to his Sage /Kyubi cross eyes (Normal Eyes)._

_Naruto grows a huge fox grin across his face. "You know, Sasuke, with this plan, I see that we still make a good team!" Naruto Boasts._

"_Just shut up, dobe (dead last), and get ready. Here she comes." Sasuke focuses his eyes upon the black portal forming in front of them. _

_Kaguya steps out with a half-smile on her face. She draws 2 more blades, focusing her Byakugan. _

"_I believe play time is over, my children. I'm sorry it has to end in blood," Kaguya whispers while beginning to walk towards Naruto and Sasuke. _

"_Naruto, get to it! I will hold her off until then." Sasuke focuses his Rinnegan and Sharingan eyes on Kaguya._

"_Right!" Naruto drops to one knee, closes his eyes in focus, and slams his hands into the earth, pushing and flowing chakra into every grain of sand and dust in the area. _

'_That's a lot of chakra he's wasting; what do you have in mind, boy?' Kaguya thinks while narrowing her eyes at Naruto. _

"_Eyes over here, wench! You're my opponent!" Sasuke says, dashing forward. _

_Sasuke picks up one of the Kaguya's discarded blades and continues to run forward, throwing the blade with blinding speed. Kaguya jumps into the air, causing the blade to fly underneath her. She feels a presence above her and looks up to see Sasuke flying through hand signs as she begins to fall back to earth. _

"_Fire Style: Giant Fireball Jutsu!" yells Sasuke, placing his fingers in the shape of a C to his lips. _

_The fire ball crashes to the earth, creating a burnt hole in the ground where Kaguya had landed. Sasuke flips in the air and lands just outside the crater. He leans over the side, looking into the hole, searching for life. A large portal opens above Sasuke, revealing Kaguya with a blade in front of her extended arm, aiming at his head. Sasuke twists out of the way as Kaguya hits the ground; he twirls through the air, lands on his hands, and flips to his feet. _

_Sasuke again goes through hand signs at blinding speed. _

"_Lightning style: Electric Bullet!" Sasuke raises his left hand and points his pointer and index fingers at Kaguya in the shape of a pistol. _

"_Eat this!" Sasuke yells as multiple bullets made of lighting shoot out of Sasuke's fingers, flying at Kaguya. _

_Kaguya steps almost in a dance in-between each of Sasuke's shots until she is within a couple feet of Sasuke. Raising her blade, she cuts through Sasuke's final bullet, slicing a deep gash down his left hand to the tip of his elbow._

"_GRAWWWH!" Sasuke yells in pain, jumping backwards from another strike from Kaguya missing his neck by an inch. _

_Sasuke hits the ground, tumbling head over heels until he skids on his back, cradling his now crippled arm that begins to coat his grey shirt in blood. _

"_Let's see you use your annoying jutsu now." Kaguya sneers, growing a look of satisfaction. "It won't be long now before you, your friend over there, and everyone else in this ninja world are annihilated. I will forever bring peace like I tried to accomplish so many years ago."_

_Sasuke rolls onto his feet. His left arm hangs at his side, dripping small droplets of blood onto the desert floor._

"_Can it, woman! You underestimate the power of an Uchiha!" Sasuke growls, his Sharingan and Rinnegan eyes growing deeper in color. _

"_However..." Sasuke thinks while turning his head to his left to gaze over his shoulder at the now clearly tiring Naruto._

"_(Pant...Pant.)" Naruto exhales while sweat drips from his forehead down to his chin, creating a small puddle on the floor between where his hands still connect with the earth._

'_I wouldn't mind if he would hurry up!' Sasuke growls. 'I've got little chakra as it is, and now with my arm like this, I can only handle one last Chidori... Hnn… I guess this really is the final gamble of this battle.'_

"_I don't know why you are looking at him, boy, when you've already said that your opponent is me." Kaguya says, grinning widely._

_Sasuke turns to face Kaguya again, giving her a sly smile._

"_Hnn…" Sasuke grunts, beginning to walk towards Kaguya with his left arm still dangling at his side. _

"_If you wanted to die sooner, wench… all you had to do was ask," Sasuke says in an almost snickering tone. _

_Naruto begins to stand behind Sasuke, barely able to hold up his own weight with trembling knees and ragged breath._

"_Wait… (Pant)…Sasuke… (Pant)…It's ready… and I've left myself… (Pant) just enough chakra to finish this." Naruto says while raising his hands to the familiar cross hand sign._

"_KAGEBUSHIN NO JUTSU!" A single clone pops to life just to the left of the original Naruto. His eyes were black with gold diamond irises, signifying that Shukaku was in control of the clone._

"_**Uchiha… are you ready?" **__Shukaku asks while beginning to walk towards Sasuke's side._

_Sasuke nods towards Shukaku and then looks over to Naruto, who has now joined Sasuke on the other side of Shukaku. His Gold Demon Fox Cloak flickers away from chakra loss. Sasuke loses his smile and grows a more serious look of determination._

"_Do it," Sasuke says while turning back towards Kaguya._

"_RIGHT!" __**"RIGHT!" **__Shukaku Clone and Naruto say in unison._

_The Final Plan of the Fourth Great Ninja War was put into action._

_Naruto jumps into the air, pulling out a Kunai with an explosive tag tied at the end and hurling it at Kaguya._

"_Simple minded tactics, boys" Kaguya says. She jumps back just as the Kunai and tag pop to reveal another Naruto jumping from the cloud of smoke. _

'_WHAT!?' Kaguya yells internally. _

"_A clone transformation!?" Kaguya screams just as the clone transformation Naruto drives his fist into her face, sending her flying. _

"_Sometimes, the best plans are the simplest, bitch!" Naruto cheers as he lands on the ground from his leap ,dispersing his clone at the same time. _

"_SKUKAKU! NOW!" yells Naruto. _

"_EARTH STYLE: GREAT MUD SLIDE JUTSU!" The Naruto/Shukaku clone yells while slamming his hand in a summoning-like jutsu onto the ground. _

_Just as Kaguya was about to hit the ground from Naruto's punch, a mudlike swamp appears underneath her. She splashes into the jutsu full force._

"_THIS CHEAP TRICK WONT HOLD ME!" Kaguya yells, fighting to free her arms and legs from the jutsu. _

"_**UCHIHA! NOW!" **__Shukaku clone yells just as it poofs away from chakra exhaustion._

_Sasuke builds a Chidori in his non-dominant right hand and drives it into the earth._

"_CHIDORI!"_

_Sasuke feels his chakra pull from him and mold with Naruto's chakra. Sand and dust begin to rise into the air from the electrical shock from the jutsu. Naruto and Sasuke cover both of their eyes just as the world is filled with a blinding heavy chakra nuclear flash that covers miles. _

"_GUWAHHHH!" Kaguya screams, clawing at her now blinded eyes with her one free hand, wincing and squinting in pain from the blast._

_Sasuke and Naruto jump into action and land on each side of the downed Kaguya._

"_SEAL!" "SEAL!" Both Naruto and Sasuke shout, slamming their Yin and Yang hands onto Kaguya's shoulders. Sasuke winces in pain from the impact and strain on his injured arm. A low, dim light shines from both Sasuke's and Naruto's seals and quickly grows in size, causing both to step backwards and shield their eyes. _

"_I think it wo-!" Naruto is cut off as 2 large angels, each standing 12 feet tall, appear: one shrouded in light and glowing a hue of a beautiful platinum gold; the other shrouded in darkness, glowing with a purplish light. Sasuke and Naruto tumble backwards. _

_The angels encircle Kaguya, spreading their arms in the shape of crosses. _

"_Get away from me!" Kaguya screams, horror growing in her eyes as she starts to break free from her mud prison. _

_Just as Kaguya was going to break free, the two angels swing their arms and hands together from their previously outstretched position. A loud clap sounds and a beam of light shoots from the ground, covering Kaguya. _

"_**SEALING ART: HEAVINLY PRISON."**__ Both angels weave their fingers together into their still-clasped hands. _

"_**LOCK,"**__ both angels say as the light floats Kaguya up, causing her to hover a couple feet in the air._

_Kaguya twirls and spins in the air, trying her damned best to get away. She even tries to open her portals to flee to another dimension, but they are quickly dispelled by the light surrounding her. _

"_I will not lose!" Kaguya hollers, growing a devilish-like face and red Byakugan eyes. "I am the god of this world!" _

_The light around Kaguya begins to turn from its original gold to a dark black._

"_**SEAL**__!" the angels pronounce. _

_In a matter of seconds, the black light surrounding Kaguya begins to compress and shrink, crushing her. Smaller and smaller she became. The cracking of her bones and the contortion of her body almost made Naruto wince in disgust… almost._

"_GWUUUUUAHHHHHH!" Kaguya hollers in pain. She was now the size of a basketball and she continued to be crushed and shrunk._

_Finally, she was the size of a marble. The marble then shimmered and glowed and appeared to be stone, with the kanji for "Sealing" appearing on the outside of the marble. It falls to the ground with a light tap and bounces on the desert floor. _

"_**SEAL COMPLETE"**__ the angels say, now bursting into a bright light and disappearing from sight, leaving a glittering dust in the air._

"_Well…DAMN!" Naruto says with wide eyes at the gruesome sealing. "That was ….. BAD ASS!" _

_Sasuke was at a loss for words at the moment, choosing to just fall to his back, exhaustion finally catching up with him. Naruto looked at him and smiled and fell face first onto the floor, also allowing his tired body to finally give in to the need for rest._

"_Told you I can come up with a plan," Naruto said in a very tired voice, lifting his head to look over at Sasuke. _

"_Wasn't even your strategy, you idiot," Sasuke says with droopy eyes, trying to stay conscious._

"_Ya, whatever…. We won though, HEHE!" Naruto says, sitting up and looking around at the vast desert land while his hair blows slowly in the warm breeze._

"_Uhhhhhhhhhhh… Sasuke?" asks Naruto, looking at him curiously._

"_For gods' sakes, what!? I'm trying to rest!" Sasuke demands, clearly irritated._

"…_..How do we get home?" Naruto asks raising an eyebrow._

_Sasuke opens his closed eyes and stares at the sky with a lazy look more suited for Shikamaru._

"…_Fuck…." Sasuke whispers, a chibi sweat drop appearing on both boys' heads. _

_Naruto and Sasuke are interrupted as the ground begins to shake very violently, creating deep trenches and cracks into the earth. Sand pours like waterfalls into the new cracks, causing Sasuke and Naruto to start to slide with the flow._

"_WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING!?" Naruto screams over the roar of the shaking ground._

_Naruto and Sasuke jump to their feet, fleeing to an open area where no gashes in the land have formed yet. The stone marble sealing Kaguya flows with the sand and falls down into the seemingly bottomless gorge._

"_The dimension must be collapsing in on itself now that Kaguya is unable to hold it together!" Sasuke says, falling to his knee and gasping for air, still exhausted. _

"_Dammit, our bodies can't take this. We're out of gas," says Sasuke as he begins to stand. _

_Naruto and Sasuke barely miss being sucked into a newly formed crater by jumping into the air and landing on a sand dune. They tumble and slide to the bottom, gasping for air. _

"_We can't keep this up... (Pant) Where do we... (Pant) even run to…? (Pant) There's nowhere to go!" asks Naruto, trying his best to catch his breath. _

_Lighting and storm clouds clash in the sky, causing loud booms of thunder to ring out. Lightning strikes the land over and over, creating fires upon the sand. The wind has turned violent and the rain comes down sideways, stinging their skin on impact. _

"_Damn, I guess it really is destroying itself," says Naruto in a somber tone, just sitting and watching the havoc. "I always pictured what the end of the world would be like… but I never imagined this."_

_Naruto rolls to his side to avoid a lightning strike, landing on his back. He stares into the downpour of rain and hail. _

"_To think I would die here of all places," Sasuke says, deactivating his Sharingan._

"_WHAT!?" Naruto shouts, jumping to his feet and flailing his arms about. "We can't die here! I still have to become Hokage and change the world! And what about you? You said you were going to become Hokage and change the current ninja way!"_

_Sasuke stands and looks at Naruto somberly, an almost regretful look in his eyes. "Naruto, make me a promise."_

_Naruto looks at Sasuke with a raised brow._

"_Uhh, sure?" says Naruto._

"_Promise me that you will become Hokage… and that you will keep what happened to the Uchiha from happening to any other family. Promise me you will change this world and make it a better place so young kids don't follow the path I did. Keep those kids safe and help them find the light… Promise me this, Naruto."_

_Naruto grows serious and brings his curled fist to rest over his chest and trashed jacket above his heart. _

"_I promise Sasuke. On my ninja way," Naruto says, closing his eyes and bowing his head in acceptance of the promise. He looks back up with another questioning look._

"_Why the promise though, Sasuke? You act like you aren't going to make it out of here" Naruto squints his face into a forced foxy smile, beginning to dread what Sasuke is implying. _

"_Naruto, we are both low on chakra… there's not a lot left you nor I can do… but… I might have just enough to create a portal with my Rinnegan." Sasuke forces the last of his remaining chakra to his eye, activating his Rinnegan. Blood flows from the eye down his face and drips from his chin. _

"_I have just enough, but it will be a small portal," says Sasuke, turning and smiling a sad look at Naruto. _

"_That's great!" shouts Naruto, jumping and waving his arms in joy. "Do it and let's get out of here! Hehe! See and you thought we were going to die!" _

_The sky cracks; the dimension is at its last couple seconds. Wind howls in the air as rain, snow, hail, and sand fly at hurricane speeds. The ground shakes and shatters around the two men, leaving the world in a hell-like state._

_Sasuke flicks his Rinnegan to life and focuses on the now forming portal._

"_There's a catch though, Naruto," Sasuke says, letting a sad smile rest on his face._

"_Huh?" asks Naruto, turning his attention away from the portal to Sasuke._

"_With my chakra and the little practice I have at this..." Sasuke says, jumping and pushing Naruto off of his feet._

"_There's only room for one… to pass through." Sasuke shoves Naruto through the new formed portal. It begins shaking and flexing at the lack of chakra keeping it together. _

_The world turns into slow motion in Naruto's eyes as he falls through the portal. The rain stands still in the air, the dust stops moving, and the ground stops shaking. All Naruto sees is Sasuke's face as he lands on the other side of the portal, and watches as the world on the other side of the opening fades. Sasuke's face wobbles and distorts with the closing portal._

"_Hn… I never said WE were going to die… I said I was… dobe…" Sasuke whispers… And with that, the portal closes… Sasuke… was gone. _

_Naruto lays across the floor of the old battlefield in the real world, staring at where the portal used to be. His eyes are wide and his breath is slow and shallow. He can't begin to understand what just happened. _

"_Sa….Sasuke," Naruto whispers to no one, continuing to stare into nothingness. Silent tears run down his face, dripping to the floor as Naruto climbs to his knees and sits in a kneeling position._

"_Sasuke," Naruto says again, his voice growing louder. _

_Naruto crushes his eyes shut and flings his head backwards toward the heavens above, screaming as loud as his voice will allow._

"_SASUKE!…"_

_Naruto lets his head fall back towards the earth and stares at the ground between his knees as the tears flow. He does not hear the Tree of Life begin to crumble and fall to the earth, allowing his friends to be free from their dream worlds. He does not hear them charge towards him, screaming his name in victory and in joy knowing the battle and war are finally over. Naruto does not hear the thousands crowded around him, cheering and chanting his name._

_Naruto does notice the lone figures of his friends, Sakura, Sai, Kakashi, Team 10, Team 8, and Squad Guy come close to him. None of them are cheering, seeing the way Naruto is acting currently. Naruto notices someone has kneeled right in front of him, but does not bother to lift his head and look. He knows who it is. She asks a question. Naruto knows what she has asked, but does not hear it._

_Because to Naruto… all he could hear was silence. _

"…_..Naruto? …..What's wrong? ... Wh… Where's Sasuke-kun?" Sakura whispers as she begins to cry. _

_(End Flashback) _

_END CHAPTER 1_


	2. Chapter 2 Is That You?

(AN: Hope you enjoy and don't be afraid to leave constructive reviews, which means don't be rude. It really does help! I'm trying to make this story the best I possibly can. Also, I'm going to put small bits of modern technology in the Naruto universe, but nothing huge. Just mp3 players and cell phones, but no cars or planes. I also hope you don't hugely cling to proper sentence structure… because you're probably going to hate me, haha! Let me know if I missed a misplaced or misspelled word any where! I am human, after all. Anyways, on with the story!)

Chapter 2: Is that you?!

It's 12 o'clock in the afternoon on a beautiful day in Konoha. The sun is shining, with birds chirping as they fly in the sky. There is a cooling breeze in the air, keeping the day pleasant. Shop keepers and customers are making commotion in the streets with laughter and casual talk. These sounds are heard through the window of Apartment 4A, a very new apartment with the reconstruction of the Hidden Leaf village. This apartment in particular did not smell new, however, as it was filled with trash, ramen cups and soda cans littering the floor.

There is a stereo on a dresser, playing music off of an mp3 connected to two large speakers. Clothes pile out of the drawers in the dresser, showing that the owner does not fold his clothes. The plants in the corners of the four-wall room have long been dead from lack of water. In the left corner next to the window lays a bed, unkempt and tattered. A young man lies in this bed, listening to the commotion outside while waiting for the next song to pop on from his mp3. His hands lay behind his head as he rests on his back, the crumpled sheets of his bed used as a foot rest. He is dressed in a black muscle shirt and tan cargo shorts. His hair is wild, more resembling his father's after keeping it uncut for so long.

The stereo hisses to life as the next song begins to play.

_Do you ever feel like breaking down?_

_Do you ever feel out of place?_

_Like somehow you just don't belong_

_And no one understands you…._

Naruto's eyes flicker open into half slits as he stares at the roof. His fan twirls slowly above him, keeping him cool. Naruto turns his head while still on his pillow to stare at the midsize stereo.

"Simple Plan, huh?" he grumbles in his half-asleep state.

Naruto rolls up from his laying position to sit on the side of his bed staring out the window at the birds flying high. The song continues to play in the background.

_Do you ever wanna run away?_

_Do you lock yourself in your room?_

Naruto gets up off his bed slowly; his joints pop and creek with the movement. He lazily steps through the trash-littered floor to his dresser, almost falling twice from a misplaced can of soda and ramen cup. Naruto picks up his mp3 and clicks the pause button.

_With the radio on turned up so loud that no one hears your screami-… _(Pause)

"(Sigh)… Not even I want to listen to that right now," Naruto says in a grumbling whisper to himself as he tosses the device back onto the dresser.

He lazily sways to the bathroom in the far right-hand corner of his room, near the hallway door. Naruto pushes the door open and it creeks from the unoiled hinges. He flinches from the noise and shivers.

"God, I hate that freaking sound!" he says more loudly than needed as he walks to the sink and looks at himself in the mirror.

Sighing, Naruto pulls out his toothbrush from a cup next to his sink and runs it under water as he yawns and rubs his eye. He grabs his toothpaste, squeezes it onto the brush and places it into his mouth as he lazily looks at himself in the mirror with half open eyes. He brushes his teeth while his thoughts wander elsewhere.

'It's been 6 months and 2 weeks tomorrow… Since that day,' Naruto thinks, continuing to brush his teeth. '… I wonder what everyone's been up to... Do they miss me at all...?'

Naruto's friends had stopped banging on his door and blowing up his phone after about the second month of his new hermit life style, choosing to let him be for the moment, while hoping he came around soon. He hadn't heard from anyone since then. Back then, he never communicated back, just looked at the texts and missed calls, letting the chime of his phone go unanswered. Listening to the yelling through the door of his friends try to get him to come out… but never saying anything back.

'Maybe it's about time I ran to the store for this week's groceries… I am starting to run low on ramen,' Naruto thinks, swishing the brush in his mouth.

'Maybe I should get some fresh air… maybe take a walk around town. It's been three weeks since I last left my apartment. Even then I was gone for like 15 minutes while I got food from the 24 hour market.' He pulls the brush from his foaming mouth.

(Spit)

"Ya…. A walk doesn't sound too bad!" he says to himself, growing a small smile, one so small you would miss it if you weren't looking for it… but it was there.

Naruto washes his brush and walks out of the bathroom over to his dresser. He pulls the top drawer open, allowing two shirts to hit the floor. Naruto picks up a gray zip up jacket with a thick hood. Throwing it on over his muscle shirt, Naruto grabs his mp3 and earphones before heading to the front door.

He grabs his shoes and slips them on, clicking the buttons in place to secure them to his feet. Naruto turns to the counter at the front door, grabbing his keys and the medium-sized Frog wallet holding the last of Naruto's savings.

(Sigh) "Almost out of cash, eh bud?" Naruto asks the wallet as he bounces it in his hand, feeling the weight. "Guess I'll need to…" Naruto stops, growing a sad look in his eyes as images of his friends and fellow ninja flash through his eyes. "Start doing missions again."

He throws the wallet into his cargo shorts pocket, then picks his phone up and places it in the opposite pocket with his keys. He steps out the front door and locks it before turning to face the somewhat crowded street with kids and villagers walking and jogging to get to their destinations.

He flicks the hood of his jacket over his head, concealing his eyes, then places his earphones in his ears and turns his music on as he begins to walk in the direction of the market. He places his hands into the pockets of his jacket, keeping his gaze at the ground.

'What all do I need from the market?' Naruto thinks as he weaves in and out of the traffic of people at a casual pace. 'The village looks well… coming along nicely; almost completely rebuilt.'

Naruto rambles in his thoughts, never answering questions he asks himself, only jumping from topic to topic. He continues to ramble in his thoughts, not realizing he had passed the right-hand turn to get to the market some time ago. Coupled with the music and his wondering thoughts, Naruto was in his own little world, walking to wherever his body took him.

Naruto does not realize he has wandered into the large shopping and merchant district of Konoha. Continuing to weave through the growing crowd of people in the street, he leans his head to the side in thought.

'I should tell Baa-Chan to reinstate me into active duty… but… am I ready for that…? Will I ever be? Even if I choose to go see Baa-Chan, that's a conversation I'm not looking forward to.' Naruto sighs and speaks out loud. "All the questions she's going to ask, and the fact that she will probably tell my friends to keep an eye on me at all times just so I don't try something stupid….. Ughh."

'I don't want to face any of them yet, anyways…. I'm not ready…what the hell am I supposed to say to them?' Naruto huffs.

'Thanks for letting your family, friends, and loved ones die to protect me in the war guys! We are still cool though, right!?' Naruto mentally asks himself sarcastically.

'Then there's… Sakura-Chan.' Naruto lowers his head even further as he walks, staring at his feet.

Sakura had been one of the first people to reach out to Naruto after the war, trying to show that she didn't hate him for what happened. Though Naruto would never believe her shouts through the door. Eventually, just like the rest of the Rookie 7 (excluding Naruto and Sasuke) and the rest of team guy… she gave in, hoping he would seek her out in time.

The last contact he'd had with Sakura was a text message after one of her yelling fits at Naruto's front door to let her in. All it said was:

**[When you're ready… come see me, Naruto. We need to talk.]**

That was four months ago. What did she expect him to say to her…? What could he say? Naruto's mood had just taken a swing for the worst and he was thinking of turning to go home. His thoughts were interrupted, though, as he ran into someone on the side of the street he was walking on.

(THUMP!)

"Oof... Hey, watch it!" a woman said, picking up her dropped bags of clothes.

"Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am… I'll be more careful," Naruto said quietly, barely hearing the woman's complaint through his earphones, choosing not to lift his head and see who the woman was.

Naruto starts to walk away, but before he can, the woman grabs his wrist. She flings him around to look at her. Naruto looks up as one of his earphones falls out, enabling him to hear her berating full on.

Naruto's eyes grow wide with fear as he recognizes the young woman.

"Don't you walk away from me! You can't just run into someone like that and ju….." she stops talking dead in her tracks and slightly loosens her death grip on Naruto's wrist.

"Na….Naruto?" the woman asks, her voice growing soft.

"I….Ino," Naruto whispers, taking a step back in shock.

Ino is wearing an orange, form-fitting shirt with a purple flower emblem located over her left breast. She has black plain leggings on, with black casual flip flops. Her hair is tied in her usual pony tail with her right eye being covered by her bangs. At her feet are multiple bags from her recent shopping trip.

'NONONONONONONONO NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!' Naruto mentally screams at himself. 'WHY?! I SAID I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE ANYONE AND EVEN IF I DID….WHY?! OH HOLY HELL WHY!? WAS IT INO!? SHE LOST HER FATHER AND HER LOVE, SASUKE, BECAUSE OF ME!'

'Oh god, she probably hates me! I have to get out of here!' Naruto thinks.

He starts to panic and tries to back away; forgetting Ino still has a firm grip on his wrist.

"NARUTO, IT IS YOU!" Ino shouts, growing a huge grin across her face. "You're finally out of your damn apartment!? It's so good to see you!" Ino drags Naruto into a huge bear hug, surprising Naruto with how much force was behind it.

"Wait, what?" Naruto asks out loud, still in the vice grip hug from Ino.

Ino lets go of Naruto, allowing him to back away and stare at her wide-eyed and confused.

"You… don't hate me?" Naruto whispers, barely even audible to Ino.

Ino's smile turns into a small pout of concern as she raises her eye brow in confusion at Naruto.

"Wh….why would you think I hate you?" Ino asks as her eyes grow wide in understanding. "Wait… is this why you've been locked up in your house?... Because you think we all ha-," Ino was cut off by Naruto.

"Never mind… Just forget it." Naruto throws his hands in his pockets and begins to walk away, seeing an opening to leave.

Once again, though, he is grabbed by Ino and flipped around to look at her as she speaks.

"Where the hell do you think you're going!?" Ino growls, getting frustrated with his constant attempts to leave. "I see you for the first time in forever, and you think you can just leave!?"

'Yes that's exactly what I expect to do,' Naruto thinks.

"N…No, Ino, I'm sorry; I was just going to the super…" Naruto starts to say as he looks around and finally realizes he is in the clothing shop district, located 2 miles away from the produce stores. "… Market."

'(Sigh)… Great,' Naruto thinks in an "I'm such a freaking idiot" tone of voice.

"Uh-huh… sure… Listen, Naruto, if you're going to lie just to get away from me, at least make it believable!" Ino says feeling offended.

Naruto waves his hands in front of his chest in a wishy-washy motion.

"Nonono I really was going to the store to get food!" Naruto explains, turning to look at the shops around him. "I guess I got lost in my own thoughts again."

Ino rolls her eyes at Naruto, crossing her arms over her chest as he explains himself.

"Whatever… Idiot… And why the hell are you wearing a damn jacket, anyway?! It's hot as hell out today!" Ino shouts as she grabs the top of Naruto's hood and flings it off from over his head. Ino pauses as she finally gets a good look at Naruto in the daylight.

His eyes were not the bright blue sapphires they usually were. They were dull, an almost matte color, with lack of reflection. They showed deep pain and sadness… something she was not used to seeing in him. Under his eyes were dark circles, showing just how little sleep he had gotten over the last couple months. His face was pale and dry from being inside for so long. His golden hair was even more messy than usual, if that was even possible. Its golden sun color was dull… more of a bronze than it ever should look, almost like it was dirty…but it wasn't. His posture was slouched and he showed none of the pride the Naruto she knew always had. He looked… beaten. She hardly recognized this person before her.

'Oh… Naruto… you look horrible,' Ino thought in a deeply saddened tone, her eyes softening into a caring and concerned look. 'I have an idea!'

"Well… that was rude… but whatever! I'm sure you're very busy so I'll leave you to your shop-" Naruto was interrupted.

"Hey, Naruto, are you hungry!?" Ino asks, giving a bright smile that was scarily similar to Naruto's Foxy one; although, that smile was extremely rare to see from Naruto… maybe even completely extinct.

'Oh no!' Naruto thinks, realizing where she's going with this. 'Abort mission, Uzumaki, ABORT MISSION!' Naruto yells internally, not wanting to have any more social interaction than what has already occurred.

"Sorry Ino, I'm not; I just ate earlier!" Naruto says, squinting his eyes shut while growing a sad fake smile, hoping his bluff worked.

(GRUMBLE) (GRUMBLE)

Naruto quickly looks down at his stomach in disgust.

'I fucking hate you, stomach!' Naruto thinks bitterly while his eyes narrow in anger.

"Naruto…" Ino says sweetly, causing Naruto to look up from his belly. "What did I just say about lying to me?" Her left eye twitches with concealed anger.

"Uhhhhhhhhh… my bad," Naruto says, growing scared from the small killing intent radiating from the blonde female.

Ino grabs Naruto by the front of his jacket with one hand while the other hand grabs her bags as she begins to pull Naruto towards the exit of the shopping district.

"Now you HAVE to come eat lunch with me for being such an ass!" Ino says, not bothering to look back at the man dragging behind her.

"But… But Ino!" Naruto tries to argue, digging his heels into the ground to stop their pace but to no avail.

"**No… she got you there, kid… You are an ass." **Kurama says while snickering to himself

'Shut up, Kurama!' Naruto thinks very quickly, twitching in annoyance.

"But what, Uzumaki?" Ino asks in an icy cold tone, throwing a glare over her shoulder that would have full grown men shaking in their boots.

"Nothing!" Naruto squeaks out in a high pitched voice, putting his hands up in defense while shivering in fear.

"Good Boy! Now come along and STOP DRAGGING YOUR HEELS!" Ino yells, returning to looking ahead to where they were traveling.

'(Whimper)…'

Naruto groans. "There's no getting out of this, is there?" he asks himself in a comedic crying tone. He gives up on resisting and allows Ino to pull him through the Village.

'Why do you hate me, god?' Naruto asks himself while looking up at the sky.

"**Because you killed her, remember?" **Kurama asks, full on laughing at this point.

'For…The … LOVE OF GOD, SHUT UP KURAMA!" Naruto shouts, full on flailing mentally in anger.

Kurama and the other eight demons try their best to muffle their laughter.

"**No Comment," **says Kurama. He and the rest of the demons burst into laughter.

'I hate all of you…' Naruto whispers, looking down in defeat.

(10 Minutes Later, 2:04 PM, Konoha East Side)

"This… this is…" Naruto stutters, staring with wide eyes at the restaurant Ino had picked for them to eat at.

"Ichiraku Ramen! Your favorite, or so I've heard." Ino stands beside the shocked Naruto. She leans forward so her face is in his peripheral vision. Naruto turns to look at Ino with wide yet still dull eyes.

It had been close to a year since Naruto had last ate at his favorite restaurant. The last time being just before he left on the B.S. mission before the War to keep him "safe" or whatever. After his return, he just couldn't find it in him to go out to eat and talk to people. Alone was more of his style lately.

"Well, come on, Scatter Brain, let's get some food! I haven't eaten all day!" Ino begins marching towards the stand, but stops when Naruto doesn't follow. "It's my treeeaaat," Ino states over her shoulder in a cute tone, rolling the last word for emphasis.

"O….Ok…" Naruto says, slowly following her into the stand.

Ino flips the flaps at the front of the stand aside, allowing her and Naruto to enter. She places her bags next to one of the stools and sits down. She pats the stool next to her, giving Naruto a small smile. Naruto sits on the stool and places his elbows on the counter, leaning forward as he looks at the new menu. They were the only ones in the restaurant and it was nice, Naruto felt, not having to deal with unwanted interactions. Naruto then notices a new flavor on the menu that takes him by surprise.

"Blazing Angel Ramen?" Naruto asks out loud in a tired-sounding tone.

Ayame, the shop keeper's daughter, turns from her work to answer.

"It's our new special rame-" Ayame stops, recognizing the face. "NARUTO-SAN!"

Naruto mentally sighs, growing tired of having to fake being in the mental state to talk to his friends.

"Hi….Ayame," Naruto whispers tiredly, throwing on a fake smile for her and Ino's sakes.

Ayame notices how terrible Naruto looks, but chooses not to mention it, seeing how sad Naruto seems. Seeing past his terrible excuse of a smile, Ayame puts on a sad smile herself. Seeing the ever bright Naruto look so…. down… was... unnatural.

"It's been way too long, Naruto… I'm sorry Father is not here. He would have loved to see you after so long."

Naruto wouldn't admit it, but he was grateful the old man was gone for the day. The less people he had to interact with on this trip he was dragged on, the better his chances of making it out of this without his half-assed mask he put on cracking, causing him to breaking down in front of them.

"I'm sorry too, Ayame… Maybe next time," he replies in a soft voice, keeping his fake smile in place and trying to keep the sadness from his voice.

Ayame glances to Ino and they share a brief moment of understanding that they needed to tiptoe around Naruto emotionally. Turning back to Naruto, Ayame smiles brightly.

"Well, to answer your question Naruto-San, the Blazing Angel ramen is a tribute ramen to… well… you!" Ayame says, poking him in the chest from over the counter. "It's our way of saying thank you for all that you've done."

"But… why call it Blazing Angel?" Naruto asks, raising an eyebrow while still keeping his slumped posture on the counter.

"It's your nickname!" Ino chooses to jump in and answer.

Ino turns to her purse, rumbling through it and mumbling about how messy it was. Finding what she was looking for with a joyous "Aha!" she pulls it out and shoves it into Naruto's face.

"See!" Ino exclaims. Naruto grabs the object from Ino.

"The new Ninja Bingo Book?" asks Naruto, confused at how this was going to help answer his question.

Ino rolls her eyes at how dense he could be.

"Open it, stupid! I believe it was page 204," Ino says, pointing to the book.

Naruto opens the book slowly and flips through the new glossy pages until he reaches page 204. What Naruto sees catches him by surprise. His mug shot was on the left-hand corner of the page. He reads the title out loud.

"Uzumaki Naruto… A.K.A…. Blazing Angel of Konoha…" Naruto looks up from the book to stare blankly at Ino, blinking in confusion. But instead of asking what was on his mind, he returns to reading the info page. "Name earned from the golden chakra cloak of light surrounding him, giving off a warm life force and good feelings… Rumor says this ninja can also fly and has been touched by pure light."

Naruto skims through the rest of the information provided in the book.

"Height 5'11… Weight 175 pounds… Eyes blue… hair blond…" Naruto looks up from the book, stopping his reading mid-page with an open mouth and a glazed look of wonder in his eyes. "They… put me in the Bingo Book… and they think I'm an angel!?" Naruto asks in disbelief at his new chosen nickname.

"No, they don't think you're an angel, stupid… they just think you look like one. And if I do say so, myself… it fits well with that golden glowing chakra thing you do," Ino says happily.

"And we loved the name so much we put it on the menu!" Ayame says, giving a thumbs up towards Naruto.

Naruto closes the book and looks at the cover with curious eyes.

"That's … cool… I guess." Naruto hands the book back to Ino and looks up towards Ayame. "I'll have a regular miso ramen, though," Naruto says, returning to his quite tone of voice.

Ayame and Ino share another glance of understanding ('He really is not his usual self') before Ino also orders.

"I'll have the same, please," Ino says, trying to stay upbeat after how Naruto blew off his recognition from the ninja community.

Ayame nods and turns to begin cooking their meals, humming a soft tune as she works.

Ino turns to place the book back into her bag. She returns her attention to Naruto, who is staring at the counter top, obviously lost in thought. She grows a small grin and grabs his attention with a slight giggle.

"You know Naruto, you should be excited! Being put into the Bingo Book and given a nickname is a huge honor… It means that the ninja world has recognized you for your power and abilities of a ninja." Ino studies Naruto's face, hoping the new information would bring some happiness to his features.

"Who cares, Ino?" Naruto says bitterly, still staring at the counter top. "None of that shit matters anymore."

Ino looks at him in shock, not believing what was coming from his mouth.

"What do you mean, 'who cares!?' You freaking care!" Ino grows quieter. "D…don't you care...? You love being recognized by people…. to show you're a great ninja."

Choosing not answer her question, Naruto narrows his eyes at her, turning his vision away from the counter top.

"Why are you even doing this, Ino?!" Naruto asks a bit bitterly. "Why drag me to go eat with you when you know damn well I didn't want to come?!"

Ino turns her attention away from Naruto and stares at the counter top with soft eyes, thinking of how to answer. Finally, she answers, smiling while looking at her hands.

"Well… I guess in a way… to thank you." She turns to look at him with a big smile. "You helped save so many lives in the war, and you're always so kind. I thought a thank you was in order," Ino states, not realizing she had just pulled a hair trigger in Naruto's mind.

Naruto looks at her with wide eyes that slowly narrow at her as his anger builds within him.

"Thank me, you say…" Naruto utters in a hostile whisper.

He turns so his whole body is facing Ino as he finally erupts, causing her to freeze in shock.

"HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY THANK ME FOR WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE?! THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE THEY HAD TO PROTECT ME FROM THAT MAN! HOW CAN YOU SIT HERE WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE AND EVEN STAND TO BE AROUND ME?! YOU LOST YOUR FATHER AND SASUKE BECAUSE THEY HAD TO PROTECT ME BECAUSE IM A JINCHUURIKI! HOW DO YOU NOT HATE ME FOR THAT?!"

Tears begin to stream down Naruto's face as he smashes his eyes shut, balling his fists.

"THE FACT THAT MY FRIENDS HAD TO RISK AND GIVE THEIR LIVES OUT THERE BECAUSE I WAS TOO WEAK TO HELP THEM MAKES ME SICK! I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER! I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED THAT MAN SOONER! NOW I SEE HOW MY LOVED ONES HAVE BEEN HURT AND LOST PARTS OF THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF ME! I CANT SLEEP AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF IT! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EVEN FIGHT BACK AGAINST THESE FEELINGS! THE WORST PART IS I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I EVER DO GO BACK OUT IN THE FIELD AS A NINJA… IF I COULD TAKE IT! I HATE MYSELF FOR LETTING ALL THOSE PEOPLE DIE! AND YOU SHOULD TO—

(SMACK!)

Naruto's face turns sideways as the tears on his face are flung to the floor, a red hand print on his right cheek. Ino's hand was outstretched as she looks at the floor, shadows keeping Naruto from seeing her eyes. She trembled with what seemed like rage… yet spoke very softly.

"How dare you…" Ino looks up to show tears threatening to fall.

"How dare you try and put all of this on yourself, Uzumaki! …Yes… My father died… but it wasn't just to protect you! He died protecting everyone he ever cared about! He died protecting his way of ninja…. he died protecting me… and my mother… our clan… And most importantly… the village. Everyone we lost out there was protecting you… yes… but not because you are a jinchuuriki! They died by your side on the battlefield because you are a comrade… a friend… a loved one… NOT A TOOL THAT NEEDS SAFE KEEPING! They all died protecting what they cared for and held most dear… So don't try and hold all of their deaths on your shoulders like a unmovable god!"

Ino finally lets the tears fall as she continues.

"And Sasuke was no different, Naruto! Sasuke had lost everything he had ever loved and cared for in his life… everything except his best friend… you… Naruto. Sasuke gave his life for you that day not because you are a jinchuuriki… But because I honestly think you were the only thing left he gave a damn about. He wasn't going to let his best friend die just like everyone else he cared for had. My Father and Sasuke died believing in you to make this world a better place like you have said so many times you would do… but what do you think they would say now, Naruto… seeing you cry and limp around like a wounded dog?! What do you think they would say, hearing you think of not being a ninja anymore…? Do you think they would be proud of you? They died, Naruto… they are gone… But the way you're acting and thinking lately… is turning their deaths into a complete waste… As of what I see in front of me right now… they didn't die for a hero who was going to change the world… they died for a coward, too afraid to pick himself up."

Naruto recoils in shock, not knowing how to counter or what to do.

Ino turns towards her purse and pulls out a small picture, sliding it across the counter to lie in front of Naruto. It was a picture of the rookie 9 with team Guy back when they were 13, all standing and posing in the Konoha Park enjoying a picnic together. Naruto stares at the picture as Ino places a soft hand on his shoulder and says the last of her speech.

"Don't be a coward anymore, Naruto… We all had to find a way to pick up the pieces after losing the ones we love… but none of us did it alone."

Ino softly smiles, pointing towards the picture.

"Let us all help you, Naruto… Let us bring back the light in your heart and the fire in your soul we all miss so much. Because we do miss you, Naruto… every last one of us mentions you at least once when we see each other… We want you back, Naruto… Konoha needs its stupidly loud but amazingly bright sun once again. Let us all help you pick up the pieces… so that one day, you will carry those we lost in honor… not pity… There are tons of cowards out in the world, Naruto…. But don't let one of them be you."

With that, Ino picks up the picture and places it back into her purse, wiping the tears from her eyes and putting on a genuine smile.

(Cough!)

"Y…your food is ready," Ayame says eyes wide after hearing the conversation. She places the two bowls in front of Ino and Naruto and steps back with caution. She turns and goes back to cleaning the kitchen.

"Yum!" Ino declares, grabbing her chopsticks and digging into her meal, doing a completely 180 degree turn in her mood. Naruto did not move, however; lost in thought, he barely even noticed the bowl in front of him.

'A… coward…. I have been a coward, haven't I?' he asks himself. 'Hiding in my room for six months, too afraid to even see the people who wanted to help me…' Naruto glances to Ino, then Ayame.

'I have done little … to even try and keep my promises to you, Sasuke… hiding behind walls that I've put up. Outcasting myself from the rest of the world… almost throwing all the work I've put in as a ninja away… just to keep the pain bottled up inside… Maybe she's right.' Naruto looks at Ino out of the corner of his eye.

'It's about time I start picking up the pieces of my life! I will no longer be a victim!' Naruto thinks while growing an apologetic smile on his face. 'I'm sorry, Sasuke… From here on out, I'll carry that promise I made to you right next to my heart and soul. I will not be a coward who lets the sacrifices my friends make go to waste!'

Naruto rockets up from his stool, making Ino jump a little bit. Naruto spins on his heels to leave the small stand, but stops just inside the flaps of the restaurant as Ino's voice catches his attention.

"Where are you going all of a sudden?" Ino asks smiling slightly and having a feeling she already knew the answer.

Naruto keeps his attention forward, his head held high. A resemblance to the posture of confidence he usually held himself with before the war.

"It may not be immediate, Ino… but you're right in saying that the time to get my life back on track starts now… I will not be a quitter… and I will most definitely not be a coward who lets his friends' deaths go in vain. I may be a fraction of the person I once was…. But the rebuilding… starts now."

Ino smiles wide and crosses her arms over her chest and folds a leg over the other in a relaxed sitting position.

"You didn't answer my question, idiot… Where are you going?" Ino says, tilting her head to the side in a playful manner.

"Ha-ha…" Naruto gives a soft laugh as he turns to look over his shoulder.

Naruto's eyes hold a confidence that seems misplaced in his still dull eyes. Ino, however, felt at home, so to speak, seeing the look on his face once again.

"I'm going to the Hokage's office… It's about time I got reinstated!" Naruto says with a small smile. "Oh… and thank you… Ino"

With a grand gesture, he turns his attention once again to the opening of the restaurant, flinging his arm up to smack the flaps away confidently and with a step forward into the crowded street…. he was off.

Ino continues to stare at the opening for a couple of seconds with a smile before spinning on her stool to finish her meal.

Ayame steps forward and leans on the opposite side of the counter in front of Ino.

"You know…. he might just come back to us after all," Ayame says, looking at the entrance with a wide smile.

"Oh, he'll find a way to get back to normal eventually," Ino says before taking a bite of her ramen and swallowing. "All he needed was a little push."

Ayame nods, turning her attention from the entrance to Ino.

"You know…. You're awfully nice to help the guy get back on his feet." Ayame grows a mischievous smile. "Do you happen to… like Naruto?" She leans forward to get closer to Ino.

"WH… WHAT?!" Ino shouts, recoiling in shock. "NO! WE ARE JUST FRIENDS!" Ino shouts, a slight pink blush to her cheeks.

Ayame squints her eyes in a knowing look and chuckles under her breath.

"Whatever you say, Ino-San," Ayame says in a teasing tone.

"No, really! I just have the resources and abilities to help out an old friend!" Ino cries with a growing blush. "As a matter of fact… I have another idea to help his progress along even further!" Ino says, grabbing the phone from her bag and sliding her thumb over the screen to unlock it.

"Oh!?... And what is that?" Ayame asks curiously, leaning over the counter even further to see what was on the screen.

"He-he-he! Oh, Ayame… just another friend of Naruto's who needs to get her ass in gear." Ino slides through her contacts. Landing on the one she had in mind, Ino grows a wide grin. "This will definitely help Naruto!" she says as she begins to type a text to the contact.

Ayame sees the name on the upper part of the text message and grows a wide grin as well, finally understanding what she meant.

**[Contact Name]**

**(: ~ BFF Sakura H. (Billboard Brow) ~ :)**

END CHAPTER 2


	3. Chapter 3 Am I Ready?

(AN: First off, I just want to say HOLY SHIT! DID YOU GUYS SEE THE PICS FOR THE NEW "NARUTO: THE LAST" MOVIE?! I'M TOO EXCITED! Though, I don't know if I like Naruto's new outfit… Anyways on with my story! I know we are already 3 chapters in and the NaruIno has been kind of low, but that will change! I plan on this being a pretty good-sized story. So everything I want to happen needs to develop, so to speak. The NaruIno will pick up, though, I swear! The action and plot will also get picked up! I wanted all of what's happened so far to be on his first day out of the apartment just to overwhelm Naruto a bit. I Hope you guys are enjoying so far and I look forward to continuing this story. Now ONWARD WIITH THE STORY! - NARU/SAKU FRIENDSHIP IN THIS CHAPTER! ^.^)

(BTW… still suck at commas.)

Chapter 3: Am I Ready…?

It had been a wonderful day for Tsunade thus far. The sun was bringing a warm heat over her through the multiple windows surrounding her office. She was having a very slow day when it came to paper work. As such, she was enjoying the relaxing ease she could take in filling out the small piles of paper. She looked up to glance at the clock by her desk that read 2:52 P.M, and then looked out over the clock to gaze fondly at her office, smiling. Her new office as of the rebuilding of the village smelled welcoming. The plants by the entrance to her office and the shelves by the windows held small, fresh flowers that gave off a sweet scent which helped lift her spirits. Her office was almost twice the size of her old one, which gave her freedom to move around more and feel less cramped.

Shizune was currently out of the office running small errands for herself out in town. This helped lift the weight of the world off Tsunade's shoulders even further, not having to listen to Shizune bicker about her so-called "slow paper work mentality today." Though with how things had gone over the last few months, it was hard to find Tsunade in a bad mood these days.

With the formation of the Ninja Alliance, Tusnade's life as Hokage had become so much easier. The paper work and her stress were cut into fractions, with the help of the other four great nations keeping the lands in order. The ninja world was on vacation, so to speak. Ninja were still needed though, as even in the most peaceful of times… there was always somebody trying to bring the world crashing down. Thus, the mission requests kept coming in at a steady pace to the Hokage's office, but they were no longer over pouring off of her desk like before the war. Life… was… good!

Tsunade set aside a mission report she had just signed, took a deep breath and smiled to herself.

'Ahhhhh… how I love these quiet days!' Tsunade thought to herself, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes in relaxation. 'There is nothing that could POSSIBLY ruin this day!'

(WHAM!)

The side window to the office slings open, rattling the window loudly. Tsunade jumps 5 feet out of her chair in shock. A figure lands just on the inside of the window, placing his hands on his hips and shooting his chest out in a hero like pose.

"BAAAAAA-CHAAAAAAAAAN! I'M BAC-"

A large heavy scroll pegs the figure smack dab in the middle of his forehead, flinging his head backwards. He falls backwards out of the window and lands flat on his back on the roof outside.

Tusnade pulls her arm back at her side after heaving the scroll. Red-faced with embarrassment from having been so easily scared, Tsunade starts to shout.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, BARGING IN HER WITHOUT WARNING LIKE THAT!?" Tsunade slams her hands onto her desk, making a loud bang and cracking sound.

She flicks her eyebrow upward with a questioning look as she finally catches what the intruder had said.

'Wait… did he just say…. Baa-Chan?' Tsunade thinks as the figure starts to crawl back through the window.

Naruto slumps his body over the window and falls face first onto the floor, grumbling something about how much that hurt. He slowly lifts himself from the floor and catches himself from falling over from the dizziness caused by the head shot. Finally, he steadies himself on his feet while facing the open window. He turns his head to the side to look at his attacker. Rubbing his forehead while shooting daggers at Tsunade, Naruto closes the window.

"What the hell was that for?" Naruto shouts, not happy at all with his new knot. "Haven't seen me in half a year and you try and clear my head from my shoulders!"

Naruto marches over to the opposite side of her desk while still rubbing his sore head, clearly not seeing the shock written all over Tsunade's face at seeing him finally out of his apartment.

Tsunade continues to stare at Naruto with open shock written on her face, not knowing what to say or do. Blocking out the irritating shouting coming from the blond male in front of her, Tsunade chose to rather take in how Naruto looked. She didn't like what she saw… at all.

"You look like shit, Naruto," Tsunade states, interrupting Naruto from his banter with a blank stare and flat tone. "You barely look anything like what you used to… You look half dead!"

"Gee….Thanks!" Naruto says with saddened eyes and slumped shoulders, watching as Tsunade walked around her desk towards him. "Nice to see you, as well!" he says sarcastically with a twitch in his left eye.

He was about to say something else, but was interrupted by a bone-crushing hug from Tsunade.

Naruto looks slightly down with wide eyes at Tsunade, seeing she had a smile on her face and eyes closed happily. He smiled softly and raised his arms to hug her back, squeezing her lightly while letting his previous thoughts drift from his mind. Tsunade steps back and looks up at the now taller man, letting her eyes fall softly onto his dull blue ones. Turning on her heels, she walks casually back to her side of the desk.

"You're still loud and annoying as hell, I'll give you that; but I guess no matter what… that will never change, huh?" Tsunade flops into her chair and crosses her legs. "It's good to see you, kid."

Tsunade stared at Naruto for a brief moment before continuing.

"Now, Naruto… why did you barge into my office and ruin such a nice, quiet day?" she asks, placing an elbow on her desk and resting her chin on her palm.

Naruto blinks a few times, realizing the extremely rare ooshy-gooshy moment from Tsunade was over and it was time to get back to business. Naruto grins broadly, placing his hands on his hips once again and shooting out his chest.

"Reinstate me!" Naruto declares confidently, raising his chin up while squishing his eyes shut, keeping the huge toothy grin on his face.

"No…" Tsunade states blankly, still leaning on her hand with a lazy look on her face.

Naruto flinches in shock, letting the fake smile and hero pose fall. His attitude takes a complete 180 degree turn. He slams his hands onto the desk, causing scrolls to roll to the floor.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, 'NO'?!" Naruto leans over the desk so that there is very little space between their faces.

"It's very nice to see you're out and about, but you aren't ready to be out in the field again Naruto… Not yet." Tsunade blinks slowly. "Just by looking at you, I can tell you're not emotionally or mentally ready to be representing the Konoha military."

Naruto leans back to stand upright with a bewildered look on his face, not knowing how to respond to what she just said.

"…What do you mean, 'just by looking at me you can tell'?!" Naruto shouts, bringing an annoyed vein to Tsunade's forehead.

"Well for one, your hair looks like you haven't cut it in months. You look pale as a ghost, with the bags under yours eyes being the only color at all. Your eyes show no life in them at all… Frankly, you look like a suicide watch victim… not a Ninja!" Tsunade states, crossing her arms under her large chest and closing her eyes in a thinking manner.

"That's just because I haven't been out in a while!" Naruto snaps back, balling his fists at his side.

"That's another reason I can't allow you to just jump back into the rankings… you're mentally unstable, Naruto…" Tsunade opens her eyes to stare calculatingly at Naruto. "You've spent the last six months locked in your apartment… No one knows what's going on in your head right now. You very well might need to be on suicide watch!"

"You know I won't kill myself! I'm not like that!" Naruto flings his arm in front of him, jabbing his thumb into his chest. "I won't be a coward like that!"

Tsunade looks down from Naruto to stare forlornly at the blank spot on her desk, feeling bad for the young man she felt was like a son to her.

"Yes… I know, Naruto…. but what if you got others killed?" Tsunade asks quietly, still staring at the spot on her desk. "What if you go back out there and can't take it…? What if you have a mental break down in the middle of a fight? Letting important people you care about die because when they thought you had their back… you didn't... Do you think you could live with yourself if that happened? Could you take it if they… died… because you weren't ready?"

"I….. I… uh..." Naruto stared at Tsunade with a blank look, once again not knowing what to say.

Naruto felt his doubts rush into him again as they had for the past months. Thousands of sand bags had just been put on his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. Sasuke flashed through his mind for a second as Tsunade's words echoed in his head.

'_Could you take that… take that… take that…?'_

Flashes of his other friends run through his eyes. Sakura, Sai, Kakashi-Sensei, Ino, Iruka-Sensei, and all of his other friends... All standing together, smiling at him… welcoming him back. Tsunade's voice echoes again.

'_Could you take it if they died… died… died?'_

Naruto begins to sweat heavily and his breath becomes short and labored. His body begins to set into a panic attack as more flashes of his friends' bloody and mangled bodies went through his mind.

'_Could I…..handle it?'_ Naruto asks himself, clenching his gray jacket above his heart.

"Naruto?" Tsunade asks, growing worried by Naruto's sudden silence.

Broken from his thoughts, he looks back up from the floor to stare at Tsunade. His mouth felt dry… like he was drowning in sand. He felt the urge to turn and run, to not have to face the onslaught of questions any further.

"Could you do it, Naruto?" Tsunade asks him once again. She sits upright to study Naruto, waiting for his response.

"I….. I don't know, Baa-Chan…" Naruto finally answers in a labored whisper. "I just don't know… But I won't ever know… unless I try… I do know that at least." His hand drops from his chest. He regains a slight air of confidence, gazing at Tsunade with solid dark blue eyes… no longer showing the doubt that lay hidden away within them.

"Hm!" Tsunade grunts, letting a small smile grace her face. "Interesting answer." She gives Naruto a slight nod.

"Not the one I was looking for… but interesting never the less." Tsunade lets her arms drop from the crossed position under her chest.

Leaning forward, Tsunade pulls a drawer open just to the left of her feet. She reaches in and pulls out a small, sealed, shoe-sized box and places it onto her desk. The box was very bland and seemed to be made from cardboard. The only distinguishing features were the words FOR SAFE KEEPING written on the side with sharpie. Both Naruto and Tsunade look at the box silently… contemplating it… but for different reasons.

"I'll make you a deal, Naruto," Tsunade says looking up at him while picking the object up and placing it into her lap. "I'll allow you to be a ninja once again."

Naruto starts to grow a wide, open-mouthed grin, giggling out loud.

"However!" Tsunade adds, making Naruto drop his smile and look at her with a questioning look. "I require you to do two very important things before I do."

"Go on..." Naruto says, raising an eyebrow and glancing with calculating eyes between the box in her lap and Tsunade's face.

"First… I want you to get a haircut and clean yourself up so you look like you're not dead on the inside," Tsunade says with a joking tone. "The second… I want you to see a mental doctor… a… therapist.

"A THERAPIST!?" Naruto shouts, stepping back with a disgusted look on his face. "I'm not going to go spend my time with a doctor while they pick my brain like I'm crazy! I. . CRAZY!"

"Oh, yes you will... Especially if you ever want to put on a leaf headband again." Tsunade gives him a mocking smile. "And I know you aren't crazy…. Stupid, yes…. but not crazy."

Naruto's muscles tighten at her words, wanting to be given his headband back and wear it with pride. He straightens his stance to be more upright and grows a look of contempt.

"Fine!" Naruto says with a hiss in his voice. "But I won't like it!"

Tsunade brings her eyes closed and gives Naruto a big grin, happy to see he was so willing to earn his forehead protector back.

"Good!" Tsunade says, still keeping the smile on her face. "But don't think of it as a reoccurring thing… you only have to do it once. I just want a specialist to take a look at you… 'Pick your brain,' as you say, to see if you are mentally healthy enough to be reinstated. Think of it as a… test… not a doctor's appointment." Tsunade gives a mocking laugh.

"A test… that I only have to do once?" Naruto asks, liking the sound of it. "Deal!"

Naruto extends his right arm, spreading his hand wide. Tsundae stands from her chair, raising her arm as well. She clasps Naruto's hand in hers, shaking it firmly.

"Deal," Tsunade says while shaking his hand. "Now if you will excuse me, I must go schedule your appointment and run some errands." She lets go of Naruto's hand, picking up the box as she begins to walk to the door.

She turns to look over her shoulder as she grasps the handle to the front door.

"I'll schedule it for 6 o'clock later today, so don't be late!" She opens the door.

"Wait, why so early?! Why not tomorrow?!" Naruto asks, completely baffled with how busy this day was getting. "And what the hell is with that box?!"

"The sooner the better with these kinds of things… or do you not want to be a ninja?" she retorts, now stepping through the door and turning to clasp the handle again. "Oh, but I know that you do, so just remember to not be late Naruto... And the box… Well, that doesn't concern you…."

With a wide smile stretching across her face, Tsunade pulls her office door closed and turns to walk down the hall, pulling the box to sit in her hands right in front of her face. She stares at the object with a small smile.

'_Yes… not of your concern…..YET'_ Tsunade thinks, still walking down the hall on her way to the hospital.

Naruto was still standing in his spot in front of Tsunade's desk, but now looking at the clock above the window behind her chair. The clock read 3:04 P.M.

"GWAAHH!" Naruto grunted out loud, grasping at each side of his head with his hands. "This day is turning into the busiest fucking thing ever!" he yells, still staring at the clock while pulling at his hair.

"What am I even supposed to do for three freaking hours?!" Naruto asks himself out loud, letting his arms drop while resting his body in a slouched standing position. "(Sigh)… Well… it's not like this day could get any busier," he mutters grumpily as he lazily walks to the front door of the office.

**(Ding ging dingaling…Ding ging dingaling)**

Naruto's phone starts to ring and vibrate in his shorts pocket, making him stop in his tracks in front of the office door. He lazily reaches his hand into his pocket and lifts the device out and brings it up so he can read the contact name.

Naruto's eyes grow wide and he takes a big dry gulp as fear begins to grow in his stomach. His hand begins to shake, barely able to hold onto the device in his now sweaty palm. The picture of his caller on the screen was one he knew all too well… the name that flashed on the upper part of the screen sent butterflies rocketing in his stomach.

**[CONTACT NAME]**

**^. ^ Sakura Haruno ^. ^**

'_Me and my big mouth.'_ His fear is obvious on his face._ 'What do I do?!...should I answer?! …What could she want...? Did she hear that I'm out of the house…? Does news really travel that fast!?'_

All of these questions fly through Naruto's mind as the time passes. Before he knew it, the phone stopped vibrating and a soft chime sounds.

**(Ding)**

**(1 Missed Call)**

"Phew…." Naruto says letting out a huge breath of relief, happy he didn't have to talk to Sakura just yet after all.

He did not have much time to relax though as his phone once again began to vibrate and play his ringtone. It was Sakura calling him once again.

'_OH GOD, OH GOD!... She must really want to get ahold of me!'_ Naruto now stares at the phone like it is the scariest thing he has ever seen in his life_. 'WAIT?! What if she's in trouble?!...What if she needs my help and I'm ignoring her?!'_

Naruto grips the phone tightly, getting a worried look in his eyes.

"(Sigh)… I'm going to have to answer it now… aren't I?" Naruto asks himself, lifting his thumb to hover over the answer button with a flustered look on his face.

Naruto carefully pushes the green answer button on his screen… slowly lifting it to his ear with a shaky hand. With the best gulp he could manage and a deep, drawn-out breath, he speaks out with a clear, yet shaky voice.

"He…..hello….. Sakura-Chan…."

\- - Earlier Today - -

(West Hill's Coffee Shop – Konoha West Side)

Sakura is currently sitting in the outside patio area of her favorite coffee shop. The patio is fenced off with benches and tables set up around the stone floored area. Sakura is the only one outside at the moment, just enjoying the quiet. The day had been quite lazy for her, not having had much to do at the hospital today and even getting out of her shift three hours early. Sakura had just enough time to get home and change before she got a rather strange message from Ino, telling her to meet at their favorite shop ASAP. Sakura didn't mind the sudden request though; she liked being outdoors, enjoying the light breeze that moved her hair and kept her face cool. Taking a sip of her mocha iced coffee, Sakura sighs happily, enjoying the weather.

"Hey, Billboard Brow!" Someone shouted loudly from behind her.

Sakura turns in her chair to see her best friend, Ino, walking from the coffee shop door, holding her own beverage in her left hand while her purse hung from her right shoulder. In her right hand hung multiple bags, indicating she had been shopping. Ino walks over and takes the other seat at the small table Sakura is sitting at.

"Ino-pig! How are you?" Sakura asks sweetly as her friend got settled into her seat.

"I'm doing great! Just been shopping with the big commission check I got after my last mission!" Ino happily leans forward so her elbows are on the table, her hands clutching her drink.

"Glad to hear… but what was so important that you told me to get here as fast as I could?" Sakura asks, raising her eyebrow and lifting her drink to her lips.

"Oh Oh Oh!" Ino says joyfully, bouncing slightly. "Guess who I ran into and had a very… very… quick lunch with earlier today." She leans far over the table to stare at Sakura with a wide grin.

"Uhh…. Who?" Sakura asks, taking a large sip of her coffee.

"Naruto!" Ino says in an excited whisper, still having the huge smile on her face.

Sakura is so shocked at the name that she has to turn her head to the side and spit her drink out violently. Coughing and rubbing her thought, she turns to stare with very wide eyes at the laughing Ino.

"Na… Naruto's out of his apartment?" Sakura asks quietly, getting a happy glimmer in her eyes.

"Emmmhmmm," Ino says, letting her chin rest in her hand with a cute look on her face. "Though he didn't look to good. Looked like he was beaten mentally and physically with a ten pound crowbar!" Ino let her smile fall into a pout.

"Oh…" Sakura says, the glee in her eyes drop into a look of concern.

'_Oh, Naruto… Why won't you let me help you?'_ Sakura thinks to herself sadly. _'We could have comforted each other with our loss… Instead, once again….you had to do it on your own.'_ Sakura turns to stare at her drink.

"You know, you should give him a call! Invite him over… I'm sure he would be happy to see you," Ino says seeing the mood swing from Sakura after hearing of his condition and trying to pull her back into a happy state.

"I don't know, Ino…" Sakura says quietly, keeping her vision on her drink. "I tried reaching out to him before and he just ignored me. I even asked him to come find me when he was ready to talk… but he never did."

"Sakura… you have to reach out to him again… let him know that it's ok… I know from just talking to him that he really blames himself for what happened to Sasuke." Ino says, letting her eyes fall softly on Sakura before taking a quick drink. "He probably doesn't know what to say to you… afraid of losing… well…. the only best friend he has left."

Sakura looks up at Ino curiously, her mouth hanging open just slightly.

"Best… friend?" Sakura asks quietly as she softly set her coffee on the table.

'_Does he really… think of me as his best friend?'_

"Well…YA!" Ino states in a (Well Duh!) tone. "You two were so inseparable before the war! And with the way you two acted like siblings…. Most people thought you two were family."

"Us…. Family," Sakura says out loud.

'_Are we really that close?'_ Sakura asks herself. Images of her and Naruto over the years passed through her mind. The Chuunin exams, their hunt for Sasuke, saving Gaara, now most recently the war_. 'Through all of that, he always stayed by my side… and I by his.'_

Sakura stares blankly at Ino, absorbed in her thoughts. With a soft smile and the joyous glint returning to her eye, Sakura giggles.

"Ya… we are family," Sakura says sweetly, letting a soft smile grace her features. "I'll give him a call after this."

"Good to hear, Billboard Brow!" Ino says while letting out a slight giggle. "He's such a sweet guy… It's about time we started breaking through those walls of his." Ino took a large sip of her drink, letting a hush fall into their conversation.

Sakura shoots her attention from her own drink back to Ino after a few moments, a baffled look on her face. She had finally registered what her friend just said.

"Did you just call Naruto… sweet?!" Sakura asks, not believing her ears.

Ino chokes on her drink, but manages to swallow it roughly. Patting her chest with her hand to calm herself, she turns her head up to look at Sakura.

"Well…. Y... Ya, what of it?!" Ino asks, realizing her mistake and growing a slight pink blush.

"You never compliment a boy unless you lik…" Sakura stops herself, realizing what was going on.

Sakura's eyes squint together as a sly grin crosses her face. Tilting her head forward, she studies Ino carefully, thinking of how to go about this new information that Ino let slip.

"You like Naruto, don't you Ino?" Sakura asks in a dark but joking tone, never losing the mischievous and sly grin that was plastered on her face.

"WHAT?! NO! For the second time today, he is just a friend!" Ino declares, smacking her balled fist into the table, causing it to shake. Her face is growing pinker and pinker by the second.

"Wait… 'Second time?'" Sakura asks playfully, enjoying seeing her friend look so flustered and embarrassed. "So someone else figured it out? Since when did this happen?"

"Since _WHAT _happened, Billboard Brow!?" Ino asks, huffing and giving Sakura a death glare.

"Hahaha…" Sakura laughs quietly, letting her face fall back into normalcy while giving a bright smile. "Nothing…never mind Ino."

"Whatever…" Ino says quietly. She slouches forward and takes another sip of her drink to finish it off, her blush disappearing from her face.

Sakura quickly takes the last gulp of her drink and sets it down, turning her attention back to Ino, but not looking at her. Sakura looks out over the gated fence around the patio, watching a young couple walk by in the street, holding hands. Sakura watched them go past and remembered something of importance. Still staring into the street, she asks the question that she knew would bother Ino.

"So… how you holding up...? You know… over what happened with you and Sai? Are you finally going to tell me what he did?" Sakura looks at Ino for a brief second out of the corner of her eye.

Ino's posture and mood go from one of being flustered to one of complete sadness. Her eyes become glossy from her efforts at holding back tears.

"I still don't want to talk about it, Sakura," she says quietly and sadly. She turns to look out over the street. "I need more time to calm down and think."

"But Ino! It's been a month!" Sakura says, turning to face her friend and confront her on the topic.

Just as Sakura is about to continue speaking, Ino shoots up from her seat and grabs her belongings. She turns towards Sakura and gives her the biggest fake smile she can muster.

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, and I'm sorry our visit is so short," Ino says as the tears threaten to fall out of the corners of her eyes. "I hope things go well with your and Naruto's talk!"

With a swift turn on her heels, Ino marches out of the patio area and turns just to the left of the coffee shop, disappearing from sight down the street. Sakura is left speechless at seeing her so hurt at just talking about Sai. With how quickly she left, Sakura had no time to say anything back. So Sakura still sat in her seat staring at where Ino had just been.

'_I'm sorry, Ino…I hope things turn up for you soon,' _Sakura thinks sadly, turning to look back out over the street.

Sakura sits there quietly by herself for ten minutes, just thinking of different things and different people. Her thoughts wander before settling on the topic at the foremost of her to-do list… Call Naruto. With very slow movements, Sakura pulls out her phone and scrolls through her contacts… landing on Naruto's. She stares at his happy picture for what felt like hours to her before getting the courage to press call. With a deep, drawn out breath, she raises the phone to her ear and listens to the dial tone.

**(Ring ring…ring ring.)**

It seemed to ring forever to her. She just stares at the table in front of her, waiting for him to answer.

**(Ring ring… ring ring)**

Sakura becomes more upset the longer she waits for him to answer his damn phone…. she didn't handle anticipation well. She is cursing him internally before there is a beep, shaking her from her thoughts. His cheerful voice came to life over the phone… and for a split second… she got excited. Her happiness crashes back to earth quickly, though, at realizing it was just his voice mail.

**(Phone)** "Hey this is Naruto! Sorry I couldn't get to the phone right now but leave a message and I'll get b-"**(Beep)**

Sakura hangs up the phone, not listening to the full voice message, huffing in annoyance that he didn't answer her call…. AGAIN!

'Oh no you don't, Naruto! You are not going to ignore me anymore!' Sakura thinks angrily as she presses redial. 'I will keep calling your ass until you answer!'

She listens to the dial tone once again as she taps her fingers on the table impatiently. She thought it was going to go to voice mail again, which angered her even more…but right when it was supposed to end, she hears the tone stop. A deep breath comes through the phone.

**(Phone)** "He….. Hello….. Sakura-Chan…." Naruto says with a shaky voice.

Sakura freezes at hearing his voice. All of her anger washes away instantly and is replaced with an excitement at hearing him talk to her after so long. Yet she is partially saddened at how soft and depressed his voice sounds… she almost didn't recognize it… such a bittersweet feeling. She lost all track of what she was going to say to him and sat there, speechless, breathing into her phone.

'_He answered! What do I do, what do I do?!' _

She is brought back to earth, though, when he speaks once again.

**(Phone)** "Sakura-Chan... are you there?" he asks with a little bit with what sounded to her like worry in his voice.

She finally finds her bearings again as she lets a soft, loving smile grace her face.

**(Phone)** "Hello Naruto… Yes, I'm here… Sorry," she speaks softly and in a tone a loving sister or mother would use. "How are you doing?"

**(Phone)** "I'm doing… well… I guess… What about you?" he asks in a more stable tone.

**(Phone)** "I'm fine… I heard you're out and about today?"

**(Phone)** "Ya ….. Just …. Doing some stuff," Naruto says timidly. "So… what's up, Sakura-Chan? Why did you call?"

**(Phone)** "Well…. I was wondering…. if you could meet at the park in like 30 minutes? So we can finally have that talk." Sakura nervously waits for him to reject the offer or just hang up completely.

Naruto did not, but he did not respond to her immediately, either. Instead, he just sat on the other end of the call… breathing slowly as he is thinking. Sakura listened to his shaky breaths for what seemed like an eternity before he answered.

**(Phone)** "S...sure, Sakura-Chan…I'm on my way," he quietly responds, letting his breathing flatten out.

Sakura got a huge smile on her face thinking about how they were finally going to see each other and talk this out in person. She was so happy that she almost forgot to say something back.

**(Phone)** "Ok, I'll head that way, as well…. See you soon, Naruto." Sakura stands from her seat and heads towards the patio exit.

**(Phone)** "Ya, see you soon… Bye," Naruto says, sounding like he had started walking as well.

**(Phone)** "Bye." Sakura reaches the exit of the patio and pushes it open.

**(Beep) (Beep)**

They both hang up. Sakura slides her phone back into her skirt pocket, still walking towards the Konoha Park. She was lost in thought, barely able to keep herself from running into villagers passing by. She stared forward at the road ahead, but her eyes were not focused on anything. She was too busy thinking of a game plan on how to go about this conversation with Naruto.

'_Ok Sakura, this is it…. the talk you've wanted to have with him for 6 months. Just stay calm and collective and try not to cry. This is for him, not you!'_ Sakura thinks, taking deep breaths and picking up her pace a bit_. 'Here we go!'_

With those final thoughts, Sakura was off at a quick, determined pace. She needed to stop by her home and pick something up that she had been meaning to give to Naruto. She marched with her head held high. Nothing in the world could stop her from getting to the park.

(Konoha Park – Konoha North side)

When Naruto reached the park, he noticed how unusually quiet it was for an afternoon. The academy should have been out for the day, letting the kids out to play. Yet they seemed to be gone for now. This left the park with an abnormal silence, not fitting with the large area. The only sounds were the occasional chirp of a passing bird and the soft sound of the trees shaking in the breeze. It was relaxing, and much needed for Naruto after his easy day had gotten very hectic very quickly.

"Hmmmm!" Naruto hums in a relaxed manner.

Naruto had always loved the park, even when he was very little. He would often came here just to sit in the grassy hills and take a nap. He loved coming to the small pond that was in the center of the park. He would skip rocks and generally pass the time there if he was thinking of how to go about a problem he was facing. This was also where Ero-Sennin would do some research, spying on young women cooling themselves off in the pond. Naruto could definitely say he had a lot of enjoyable memories in this area. It warmed his heart.

Naruto walked down the dirt and stone path towards the resting area. He was heading to the benches next to the pond where he knew Sakura would be waiting. She always seemed to beat him to wherever they were supposed to meet, no matter how early Naruto showed up. He guessed it was from her need to always be punctual. Naruto reached the top of the hill that the path brought him to. Looking down, he could see the pond stretching 200 yards in every direction. It was always so peaceful to look at. Turning his gaze towards the shore, he saw a row of benches where fishermen or passersby would sit. He saw only one figure among the rows of benches today, though. He got nervous… he could always spot her pink hair anywhere.

Sakura was staring away from him, just gazing out into the pond, clearly lost in thought. Naruto slowly walks up to her, almost not wanting to disturb her from her thoughts. As he drew closer, the stones crackled under his feat. Sakura turned over her shoulder to see who was approaching. She took in his features instantly just as Ino, Ayame, and Tsunade had. She was saddened by how fragile he looked. She noticed he was carrying a box underneath his right arm and was curious to what it was.

Naruto took in how Sakura had changed over the past six months. Her chest had seemed to grow over their time away from each other. It made her more womanly and definitely more attractive. Her hair was much longer, reaching just past her shoulder blades, bringing back images of the early Genin days. The diamond mark on her forehead was a bright green that matched her eyes. She wore her usual civilian black skirt with her knee high boots. Her red top with the Haruno Circle on the back was the same she always wore. A white long sleeve shirt was underneath the red top, reaching her wrists. Naruto gulped, thinking she looked very nice. He also noticed she had a box with her as well, sitting just next to her on the bench. This made Naruto curious.

Sakura decided to brake the silent staring by turning her attention to the box next to her. She picks the object up and sits it on her lap while scooting over to allow room for Naruto on the bench. Turning back to look at Naruto, she pats the open spot now next to her, gesturing him to join her with a soft smile. Naruto walked slowly over cautiously and took the seat next to her, placing his box in his lap as well. They both kept their attention away from each other, staring out into the pond.

The silence between them was driving them both mad. Each of them wanted to break the tension between them.

Finally, Naruto coughed awkwardly.

"It's quiet today, isn't it?" Naruto says, trying to think of anything to get them talking yet still not turning to face her.

"Yes….. It's rather nice, huh?" Sakura replies, looking at Naruto out of the corner of her eye.

Turning, Naruto picks up the box from off his lap and stretches it out in front of him for Sakura to take. She turns to look at the box, taking its appearance in. it was a smaller sized box with a nice blue wrapping paper wrapped around it. The bright red bow in the center of the box was frilly and bowed in the breeze. It was obviously a present.

"Listen; before we talk, I wanted to give you this…" he says quietly, looking at Sakura with a calm look. "I stopped by home knowing I would forget it again if I didn't bring it with me today."

"W… what is it?" Sakura asks, grabbing the package from Naruto and placing it on top of the box already in her lap.

She stared at the package, wondering what on earth brought this about. She looked away from the package to look at Naruto with a raised eyebrow.

"Well…. I didn't see you on your birthday last month… so… here's your belated present," Naruto says, looking down at the package in her lap. "I'm sorry I didn't see you or wish you happy birthday, but I was thinking of you that day… so please take this as an apology for me not being there."

Sakura picked up the present, shifting the weight in her hands as she grew a bright smile.

"I know why you weren't there, Naruto," Sakura says, facing him and giving him the most loving smile she could muster. "You didn't have to apologize… but thank you very much!" It put a small simile on Naruto's face. He laughed in embarrassment.

"And how ironic that you got me a birthday gift!" Sakura says, letting her large smile drop into a smaller more calm one.

"What do you mean, 'ironic'?" Naruto asks while raising an eyebrow in confusion, letting his mouth drop open slightly.

"It's ironic..." Sakura says while pulling the box from underneath her gift and placing in Naruto's lap. "Because I got you a birthday gift too, hehe!" She bounces slightly in excitement that she was finally giving him the gift half a year later.

Naruto stared at the newly placed box in his lap with surprise. It was in orange wrapping paper with a blue bow on top. The bow had a nice reflective quality to it, making it shine in the afternoon sun. This gift is much more nicely wrapped then Naruto's was. He looked up from the present while picking it up off his lap, looking at Sakura with a baffled look as he blinked slowly.

"Y… you got me a birthday present Sakura-Chan?" Naruto asks in a whisper with raised eyebrows and a slightly open mouth. It was a cute look that Naruto gave whenever he was shocked.

"Well, I didn't just buy it, so to say… I had it custom made just for you." Sakura tilts her head slightly in a cute manner as Naruto continues to stare at her. "I had it made shortly after the war… but I haven't been able to give it to you until now." She looks at him sadly.

"Wow… thank you very much, Sakura-Chan... This means a lot to me," Naruto says quietly, growing soft eyes. He felt warm from getting his first ever birthday present from her.

"Oh, don't get all gooshy on me idiot… It's just a gift." Sakura crosses her arms and rolls her eyes.

"No really, Sakura, this means a lot coming from you," Naruto whispers, giving her a genuine smile of happiness. "Especially after what happe-….." Naruto stops himself, realizing what he was about to say. His mood turns depressed once again.

Sakura catches where he is going with what he says and also grows slightly sad. She knew this conversation wasn't going to be easy…. at all.

'_(Sigh)…. How do I go about this?'_ Sakura asks herself while turning her head, glancing down at the gift and then back at Naruto. Putting on a forced small smile, she lifts her gift from her lap.

"May I open my gift now, Naruto?" Sakura asks, making Naruto turn towards her. His mood changes from sad to excitement instantly.

"Please do!" Naruto says loudly, growing a smile. Turning his body to face directly at her waiting for her to proceed.

"Hm… Ok!" Sakura says, giving him another happy smile as she begins to open her gift.

Sakura pulls at the wrapping carefully, making sure not to make too much of a mess. Pulling the paper completely off, she wads it up in a ball and places it neatly on the bench next to her. She looks at the now bland box before lifting the lid off, revealing her present underneath. She gasped back a breath, seeing what was inside.

"D… do you like it?" Naruto asks softly, getting nervous with Sakura's shocked reaction.

Sakura pulled her gift from out of the box so she could get a better look at it. She smiled wide as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. It was so simple… but it instantly meant the world to her.

The gift from Naruto was a leaf forehead protector with a long black cloth as the strap and a dented and scratched Leaf Plate. She recognized the black cloth used as the strap from Naruto's old headband cloth he had worn since returning with Jiraiya-Sannin. It was re-stitched and washed so it looked just like new to the naked eye… but she knew it was his old one. The Leaf plate definitely got her right in the heart, though. It looked just like a normal plate except for the repaired long gash that ran horizontally along the Leaf symbol. It was filled in and polished, making it look less of a gash and more of a battle-worn scratch. It was hardly noticeable unless you looked at the plate very closely. Sakura's eyes began to water.

'_Sasuke's old plate…'_

Sakura lets the tears flow. Cradling the precious object in her hands, she flips it over to inspect every inch of the headband. She stops when she sees a small message stitched in the cloth on the back of the plate where you normally place your forehead.

**(Stitched Message)**

**So no matter what happens … no matter how impossible… you will always have a piece of us with you, Sakura.**

**-Naruto / Sasuke**

Sakura closed her eyes as she quietly cried, cradling her new forehead protector right next to her heart.

'_DAMMIT! I said I wasn't going to cry!'_ Sakura yelled at herself.

"I thought since, you know… how everything has happened… with that headband… you can always have a piece of us by your side!" Naruto said, giving her a wide, loving smile as Sakura lifted her teary eyes to look at him.

She flung herself forward and crashed into Naruto, almost causing him to fall off of the bench. He catches himself by flailing his arms to balance himself and then turns his attention down at Sakura. He was just about to yell at her for almost knocking him off, but stops, letting his look drop from anger… to a smile.

Sakura was giving Naruto a large hug, digging her face into his shoulder and wetting his grey jacket with her tears. She clenched at the headband in her hand while wrapping her arms around his chest. Naruto leaned forward and hugged her back tightly. They sat there quietly for a few minutes.

Leaning back, Sakura let go of Naruto to look at him with her red, puffy eyes. She had a large smile on her face as she wiped the remainders of her tears away.

"Thank you, Naruto… This is the best gift I have ever gotten." Sakura happily lifts the headband to her head.

After placing it on her head and tying it into place, she lets her hands drop to her sides, looking at Naruto. The long black cloth reached from underneath her pink locks to rest on her back a couple inches past her hair. It looked just like the way she wore her other headband… but the blacked seemed to pop on her pink hair.

"Looks great Sakura… Like it's made for you!" Naruto says, getting Sakura to smile widely. "Well, it is after all, HAHA!"

"I'll wear it with pride, Naruto… It's an amazing gift." Sakura lifts her hand to touch the plate above her head.

"Good!" Naruto says loudly, almost sounding like his old self. He crosses his arms and turns to look at the pond once again.

"Well, just don't sit there. Open mine, idiot!" Sakura declares, giving Naruto a joking punch in the shoulder.

Naruto was rocked backward slightly from the impact. Sakura never did understand her own strength.

"OUCH! God Sakura, watch your punches… god damn!" Naruto yells, rubbing his left shoulder in pain.

"Eh… heh… Sorry, Naruto" Sakura says rubbing the back of her head with a chibi sweat drop.

Naruto rolls his eyes, turning his attention to his gift while letting go of his sore shoulder. Sakura was bouncing in anticipation for him to see her present. As he began to rip through the wrapping paper in a slow manner, Naruto grew a wide smile. He flung the last of the paper to the park floor in a quick motion and lifted the lid off of the box. He stops and gasps just as Sakura had at seeing his gift.

Naruto pulled out the gift slowly, growing a shocked look. Staring at the gift… Naruto fell in love.

It was a new black zip up ninja jacket. The zipper going up the middle of the jacket was a bright orange. There were 2 pockets, one on each hip towards the bottom of the jacket. The openings to the pockets were the same orange as on the zipper. There were 2 more pockets located on each breast of the jacket that were zipped up; they were the jacket's quick-access pockets Ninjas used when they needed a scroll or kunai very quickly. They were also orange, of course. The jacket had a large hood: the outside being the pitch black of the jacket, but the inside being the intense orange located on the zippers and pockets. The jacket had a secondary layer inside, a high-rise neck colored shirt. The shirt had a black zipper in line with the orange zipper on the upper layer. The color of the under layer was orange on the inside; the outside being black, just like the hood. The sleeves were short on purpose, meaning Naruto would have to have them pushed up on his elbows, enabling him to use his hands without the worry of his sleeves getting in the way. On the back was the whirlpool symbol Naruto always wore… This was also orange. The jacket…. was beautiful…. Naruto was speechless. (1)

Folding and placing the jacket next to him. Naruto pulls out of the box matching Jonin pants that were black as well, with a single orange stripe running down each leg. Naruto stared at the outfit with no words to say, his eyes glowing just looking at it.

"I thought since your old outfit was trashed after the war… I'd get you a new one!" Sakura said happily, seeing how Naruto clearly loved his new outfit. "I hope you don't tear up this one as badly, though."

Naruto put the pants back in the box as well as the folded jacket and put the lid on the box carefully. He turned and placed it next to him on the bench. On his face was a smile so wide, it looked like it hurt. Turning, Naruto leans in and gives Sakura a very quick hug, not giving her enough time to return it.

"Thank you Sakura… this is the coolest jacket I've ever seen!" Naruto exclaims, leaning back to sit casually next to Sakura, never losing his smile. He lifts his arm and clenches his fist over his heart. "I will also wear it with pride!"

"Ha-ha… Well, I'm happy to hear that, Naruto," Sakura says, turning her attention to the pond… knowing this was where the conversation would get serious.

Naruto also turned his attention to look over the pond, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees. His smile dropped into a serious look… he played with his hands as he thought. The silence between them grew again just as it had when he arrived… both waiting for the other to talk first. Once again… it was Naruto.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-Chan," Naruto said quietly, never looking at her. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise to you."

Sakura turned her head to look at Naruto, also very serious.

"You know I don't ca-" she started to speak, but was cut off by Naruto.

"Let me finish, please."

Naruto turned to face Sakura and looked her right in the eyes for the first time since getting there. He saw the same emotions that he saw in his own eyes. Fear, sadness, depression… she was going through the same things he was. She just always hid her emotions better. Still looking into her eyes, he took a deep breath and continued.

"You know, I thought you would hate me forever for not bringing him home… like I promised. I hated myself even more than I thought you ever could, though… I despised myself. I let myself get caught up in the moment and let him sacrifice himself…. I watched as he died. It tore me up inside instantly, knowing he was gone. It destroyed me even more though knowing how you would react…. Knowing I lost my best friend…. and let down my other. I hid away from you…. away from everyone… not wanting to see your faces…. seeing the pain that I caused just for being a Jinchuuriki. Seeing the pain I caused for starting a war… just for fighting back."

Naruto turned away from Sakura to stare at the floor by his feet, balling his fists.

"I was being a coward, though… I'm starting to see that now, thanks to Ino. I was not remembering the people who fell for my sake in that war with honor… I was disgracing their memories. I will change that, though… Starting today, I will not be a coward and I will rebuild myself. That's also why I'm here with you, Sakura… I've missed you… deeply, over the past few months. I was afraid of what you would say to me… afraid of… of what I would say. Though, over the past couple minutes that I've seen you… you don't look at me with disgust like expected. You look at me just like you did before I left on the mission before the war. You look at me with… comfort. So I realize…. you don't hate me… even after I failed you." Naruto let go of his balled fists and turned to look at her with a small smile.

"Although, you could just be a great actor and you actually do hate me... ha-ha." Naruto took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he had been meaning to say. He lifted his sight from the floor to look Sakura in the eye once again.

"I guess what I'm trying to say, Sakura… is… even if you do hate me… you are very precious to me. I will always hold you in my heart… because no matter what happens… you'll always be my closest friend. I'm sorry…. I disappointed you."

Naruto looked away from the quiet Sakura, choosing to watch the ducks swim slowly across the pond, leaving ripples in the pure blue water. He was waiting for her response… and her silence was killing him inside.

Sakura turned her attention towards the ducks as well. She placed her hands together in her lap while rubbing her thumbs together. Naruto caught this out of the corner of his eye knowing what it meant… she was thinking.

Sakura spoke very quietly…keeping her vision towards the other end of the pond. She didn't want to look at his face while she spoke… because she knew if she did… she wouldn't be able to focus.

"You're such an idiot, you know that?" Sakura asks in a somber tone, making Naruto flick his head to look at her with pouting eyes. She didn't look back; instead she kept her vision on the pond.

"I would never hate you, Naruto… and you might mess up… a lot... but you have never once disappointed me. I understand why you would think I would hate you… I never treated you well when we were younger… but I have grown up and have seen how you are such a beautiful person, Naruto." Sakura smiled gently, still looking at the pond.

"You did hit me a lot," Naruto agreed, rubbing his head where she normally left lumps.

"Ha-ha... yes… that I did… but you always deserved it!" Sakura replies, laughing at the memories.

"Hey!" Naruto objects, slumping into a pout. "I didn't always deserve it!"

Sakura places her finger to her lips, gesturing him to be silent. She still would not look at him.

"Let me finish, please. I let you speak without interruptions, didn't I?" Sakura asks with a slight giggle.

Naruto nodded his head, relaxing into his seat. He gestured with his hand for her to proceed.

"I do miss him, Naruto. We had Sasuke back for such a short time during the war… but I never got to speak with him. I never sat him down and told him how much he meant to me… how much I loved him. Now he is gone, and I never will have that chance… it saddens me. But I will never blame you for what happened to him. He's gone, but he will always be in my heart… as well as yours." Sakura turned her head to look at the clouds above. They moved slowly in the breeze… so peaceful to look at.

"It almost killed me when Sasuke died, Naruto… but I would have died… if I had lost you as well." Sakura finally turned away from the sky and looked at Naruto with nothing but confidence. She seemed to look into Naruto's soul with her gaze. It made him shiver.

"Despite how I've treated you in the past… I never hated you. When I was talking to Ino earlier, she brought up feelings I never thought I had towards you, Naruto," Sakura says, letting her eyes fall into a soft glisten that Naruto only saw her give when she was looking at Sasuke or her parents. "She made me realize what you are to me. I know I've always loved Sasuke… but in turns out… I've loved you, as well."

Naruto flinched backwards at the information, his mind going blank, even forgetting how to breathe.

"But before you get any ideas, I don't mean I love you like a lover… I mean I love you…. like a brother. I guess, in ways, I love you more than I loved Sasuke… because even though I sought him for affection, I have always had a connection with you, Naruto… because you're like my brother….. You're my family… and family always comes first." Sakura rests her hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto stared at Sakura with the widest eyes that he could possibly muster. His mouth was wide open and his heart was beating a thousand beats per second. He slowly closed his mouth and changed his face into something he didn't think he could do anymore… he gave her half of his normal foxy grin.

"I love you like a sister, too, Sakura-Cha-…. Sakura-Imouto!" (2)

This made Sakura smile even brighter at seeing the old Naruto starting to come out… even it was just a baby bit. She was happy nevertheless. Naruto opened his eyes to look at Sakura with a slight happiness… and for a brief moment, Sakura could have sworn the color in his eyes got brighter.

'His emotions did always reflect in his eyes,' Sakura thought, watching the flare of color wash back to the sad dull blue.

Naruto started rubbing the back of his head while a blush reached his cheeks; he giggled. This made Sakura drop her hand from his shoulder and give him a questioning look.

"What?" Sakura asks, curious with Naruto's sudden change in behavior.

"Well... it's just that…. I always saw you as a love interest… if we are siblings now… that makes it weird," Naruto says, still rubbing the back of his head with a blush. "I guess I'll have to find someone else, ha-ha! Though I've never been a ladies' man..."

Sakura looked at Naruto with a happy look in her eye at hearing him talk about finding another love interest.

"Ya, don't do that anymore... it's weird now," Sakura says in a joking manner.

Both Sakura and Naruto burst into laughter at this, not stopping for almost five minutes.

'_Oh… don't worry, Naruto… I believe you won't be single for much longer, heheee.'_ Sakura thought as an image of her loud blond female friend popped in her head. _'Not long at all…'_

"Why are you spacing out on me, Sakura-Imouto?" Naruto waves his hand in front of her face and snaps his fingers.

"Nothing, Naruto, now get your damn hand out of my face…. And why the hell are you calling me Imouto? It should be Oneechan (2)." Sakura stated giving him a joking evil glare.

"ONEECHAN! Why the hell are you the older sibling?!" Naruto asks with a huff while crossing his arms.

"Because I'm seven months older than you, dummy… You turned 18 in October while last month I turned 19!" Sakura says happily, waiting for Naruto to get what that meant.

Naruto stared at Sakura with wide eyes, finally letting his brain click with the information.

"THAT MEANS I'M YOUR LITTLE BROTHER!" Naruto shouted, flailing his arms in anger. He didn't like that sound of that at all.

"Yep… you're younger than me, so that makes you my wittle Otouto (2), huh? Little boo-boo brother," Sakura teases Naruto while grabbing his cheeks and pinching and pulling them.

"Knock it off!" Naruto retorts, smacking her hands away from his face.

Sakura bursts into laughter, having to hold her sides from them hurting.

'_This is bull shit!'_ Naruto thought with a pout, listening to Sakura's laughter.

Naruto didn't mind, though… if this helped to bring them back to where they were before the war… he would gladly take one for the team.

After Sakura's laughing had settled down, they sat there talking about silly things and memories, simply enjoying each other's company. They laughed and they joked about how silly they were as kids. Naruto started catching up on what all had happened in the village while he was locked away in his home. Before both of them knew it… hours had passed by.

Sakura looked up towards the sky, watching how low the sun was getting. She huffed in annoyance, knowing it was time for her to head home for dinner.

"Well, it's getting late; I better be getting home," Sakura says, turning away from the sky towards Naruto.

"Ya its ge-… wait… Did you just say it's getting late?!" Naruto springs to his feet, showing a face of fear. "Sakura-Oneechan, what's the time?!"

Slightly shaken by Naruto's sudden change from happy to fearful, Sakura reached for her phone. Pulling it out and clicking the power button to bring her lock screen to life, she reads the time.

"Its 5:54…why?" Sakura asks, putting her phone back into her pocket.

"SHIT! I'M GONNA BE LATE!" Naruto shouted while grabbing the box holding his new outfit. "Sorry Sakura, I got to go! I'll talk to you later, bye!"

Naruto stepped forward, gave Sakura a very quick hug, and before she could ask what he was late for, he was off running. Seeing him trip and fall flat on his face skidding to a stop about 50 yards away, Sakura giggled. Naruto quickly recovered, re-grabbed his present, and was off again, running out of sight.

'_Such an idiot…..' _Sakura thought, turning towards the wrappings to her own present that still rested on her head. She started to walk towards home, letting her thoughts go to Ino and Naruto_. 'If they play their cards right… I think they could make a great couple… Loud as hell…. but great.' _

Sakura reached the park exit and dropped her trash into a bin as she passed by. Sighing to herself and reaching up to touch her new Forehead protector, Sakura smiled.

It had been a great day.

END CHAPTER 3

**1 -** **Ok so I know describing this jacket was a bitch, so here is how you can see it for yourself. BTW - I DON'T OWN THE RIGHTS TO THIS JACKET….. It's just badass looking! Google image search **_**Orange assassin jacket**_**… it's the first pic that pops up on mine… The jacket is on a black headless manikin wearing a necklace with a ring on it. I hope you find it if it's not the first pic for you!**

**2 – ****Imouto – Little Sister; Oneesan/Oneechan – Big Sister; Otouto – Little Brother**


	4. Authors Note! Personal Fan Art!

Authors Note!

So I have just uploaded a picture I have personally drawn to give you guys a visual of what Naruto will look like when he's back out in the field again. You can find this picture on my deviantart page. You can get there by placing my username (same as my FF) in the search bar instead of WWW … I wish I could just show you guys but FF doesn't allow me to type out web address's for some damn reason! Or you can get there by google searching my user name and deviantart! Should take you to a link with my username and then my real name Dylan next to it. Anyway just put that in your search bar and it will take you right to my page where it's the only picture up as of right now! Hope you all like it! Also I just got my first negative review! YYAAYY! I love haters! HAHA! Well I'm not doing all this for them I'm doing it for the people who do enjoy the story. So thank you to all who have fallowed and written actual helpful reviews I really do appreciate it! I hope to keep making the fans of this story happy! I certainly enjoy writing it! Working on Chapter 4 right now so it will hopefully be up soon! High Fives all around!

Carmine 

PS- If for some reason you still cant get to the picture PM me and ill see if i can find a way to get you there! Another high five!


	5. Chapter 4 The 6 Miru Hito

(AN: Glad to see that a lot of people are enjoying this story so far! I Hope this chapter keeps it going!)

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

"**Kurama (or other Tailed Beast)"**

Chapter 4: The Six _Miru Hito_

Ino sat at the front cashier desk of the Yamanaka Flower Shop with her elbow resting on the counter and her cheek squished up against her palm. She had half-open eyes as she flipped lazily through page after page of her latest fashion magazine. Her shift in the shop had brought only a few customers her way, bringing her to absolute boredom. The stereo next to her played relaxing elevator music through the shop, slowly coaxing Ino into a very quick nap.

It had been quite a day for the Yamanaka so far. Running into the loud-mouthed Naruto was a very nice treat to her usually average day, though seeing him so out of sorts was a bit depressing. Then there was Sakura, who left a bittersweet taste in her mouth with her stupid question about Sai. She really hadn't wanted to go there, let alone talk about it. After Ino had left the coffee shop, she wandered the streets lost in her thoughts about her ex. Who she could talk to it about? Not her mother, for sure; being a psychologist, she would probably turn it into a therapy session. Sakura and the other girls were also out, since it would probably turn into village-wide gossip. Ino eventually returned to her home, giving up on the thoughts of a vent buddy for the moment.

Thus, here she sat in her family's shop, waiting for SOMETHING to grab her damn attention. She was just about to fall asleep when her prayers were answered. The door behind her leading to her home creaked open loudly. She turned to look over her left shoulder with still-lazy eyes; it was her mother.

"Going somewhere, Mom?" Ino asked lazily, seeing she was dressed very professionally.

Closing the door behind her, Mrs. Yamanaka slipped on her dress shoes, also picking up her purse.

"Yes honey, I've got to run to the office. I just got a request from Lady Tsunade herself to see a patient immediately for some evaluation." Mrs. Yamanaka walked over to the coat rack next to the supply room.

"A personal request? That's…. rare! Have any idea who it is?" Ino asked, now very interested.

It was very strange for Tsunade to make random personal requests like this. So Ino's interest was definitely piqued, freeing her from the cold clutches of boredom.

"No idea," Mrs. Yamanaka stated happily, pulling on her coat. "I'll tell you all about it when I get home, though. This being a request, I'm sure it will be interesting!" she said, growing excited herself.

Ino's mom was uniquely different from her daughter and late husband. While Ino and Inoichi specialized in braking down the mind for interrogation and information gathering, Mrs. Yamanaka specialized in the reconstruction of it. She loved helping people piece their lives back together and helping them through their problems. It gave her joy in doing so. Thus, at hearing of this special request she couldn't help but wonder with delight at what laid in store for her.

"Please do!" Ino said, giving her a happy smile while watching her stroll to the shop's front entrance.

"But please don't be so giddy like you usually are with patients… it gets really awkward," Ino stated blandly, rolling her eyes playfully.

"Oh hush, hush, Ino! I can't help it if I enjoy my work!" Mrs. Yamanaka replied, grabbing the handle to the front door and pulling it open, sending a soft chime from the bells through the store.

"Now I must get going, or I'll be late," Mrs. Yamanaka said with a soft smile.

"Ya, ya get out of here, he-he," Ino said cutely, a loving smile gracing her face. "Have a great day, love you!"

"Love you too, sweetie!" Mrs. Yamanaka said, pulling the door close behind her and heading off towards the hospital.

Ino turned her attention back towards the magazine in front of her, but became too lost in thought to read a single word.

'Who on earth is so special that Lady Tsunade would send an urgent request to Mom!?' Ino asked herself with a puzzled look. 'And why the hell would they need an evaluation?'

Ino turned the pages slowly, lifting her vision to stare at some flowers that were by the front entrance.

'The only person I could think o-…' Ino stopped, letting her mouth drop open slightly as her mind flashed to a fellow loud blond.

Ino closed her mouth, growing a small grin.

'Well, Mom…. you do love your nutcases…. Let's see if you can handle him, he-he,' Ino thought happily, brushing her bangs to sit behind her ear while thinking of the blond male. A slight blush reached her cheeks.

'That should be an interesting story when you get home.' Ino happily turned her attention back to her magazine, never losing her slight pink tint and wide smile.

-Konoha Streets, Konoha East Side –

The streets of Konoha bustled with people as the late dinner rush arrived. Young couples and families walked casually through the streets, enjoying each other's company. There was a soft mumble across the moving crowd as casual conversation was made back and forth. It left a soft calmness in the streets, keeping the relaxed murmur of voices in the air.

This was instantly broken as a yellow and grey blur rocketed through the streets, weaving and jumping in and out of gaps in the crowd of people.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Naruto shouted, clenching the box from Sakura in his right hand while pumping violently with his left arm trying to increase his speed.

"MOVE! MOVE! MOVE! TSUNADE WILL MURDER ME IF SHE FINDS OUT I WAS LATE!" Naruto hollered through the crowd, finally breaking through the last bunch of people.

Looking up from his dead sprint, Naruto could see light at the end of the tunnel as the large Konoha Hospital came into view.

'YES! I CAN DO THIS! I WONT BE LATE!" Naruto yelled to himself happily as he rocketed up the flight of stairs.

Rushing at the front entrance doors, there was barely enough time for them to mechanically open before he squeezed by without breaking pace. Rushing through the front waiting room and dodging nurses walking by, Naruto skidded to a stop at the front desk with a loud squeak, leaving a trail of smoke from his shoes in his wake.

The nurse at the front desk stared at the man in front of her with wide eyes as he tried his best to catch his breath. Naruto rested his hands on his knees and kept his vision on the floor. Sweat dripped from his nose at a steady pace.

"(Pant)… Appointment (Pant)…. 6 O'clock (Pant)…. for Uzumaki," Naruto huffed out, gasping to try and catch his breath.

'Man I'm out of shape!' Naruto thought, wiping his brow with his sleeve.

The nurse glanced to the clock next to her on her desk, seeing it was 5:59. She turned her attention back to Naruto, who lifted his head to look at her.

"Never try (Pant)…. and run 3 miles (Pant)… in 5 minutes (Pant)…. it's stupid!" Naruto huffed out while giving the nurse a tired look.

"Riiiight," the nurse said questioningly, turning to look at the planner in front of her for Naruto's appointment.

She flipped the book open and carefully looked over the page. Finding what she was looking for, she tapped her finger on the information.

"Ah! Here you are. You are to be seen in room 208, which is upstairs and down the hall!" The nurse said while putting on a smile, turning to look at Naruto, who was already on his way.

"Thank you!" Naruto called over his shoulder, finally able to compose himself.

Naruto marched his way to the desired room of 208, stopping just in front of the door. The door was made of a slick wood with a nice red tint to it. There was no indication of whose office it was; the only information being the large 208 on the upper left corner. Naruto stared at the door, building himself up to enter.

'Alright, here we go…I RUN THIS SHIT!' Naruto roared to himself, swaying from one foot to the other with a confident look. 'No doctor is going to tell me if I can be a ninja or not! I'm not "mentally unwell," I'M FINE!'

Naruto stepped forward, grabbed the handle, and flung the door open, causing it to crash into the hall wall. Stepping into the office, he jumped into the heroic pose he had done for Tsunade earlier.

"LISTEN HERE, DOC! WHY DON'T YOU DO US BOTH A FAVOR AND PASS MY ASSESS-" Naruto stopped hollering, realizing he was the only one in the room. A sweat-drop appeared on his head.

Naruto looked left and right, analyzing the room before confirming he was the only one there. He clutched his fists, growing angry with embarrassment.

"I RAN ALL THAT WAY AND THERE'S NO ONE EVEN HERE!" Naruto yelled, turning on his heel to pull the office door shut with a loud slam.

Turning, Naruto stomped his feet over to the chaise lounge located next to the lone desk. He was mumbling curses to himself as he dropped down with a flop, setting his present on the coffee table next to the couch. He crossed his arms and leaned back to rest against the cushion as he scanned the room.

'Who the hell's fucking office is this, anyway!?" Naruto thought to himself in anger, looking for any clues around the room as to whom his therapist was going to be.

The office was the off-white that all hospitals had on their walls. It had always made Naruto feel uneasy and gave him the urge to burn the whole place to the ground. There was a single window, located right next to the couch Naruto was sitting on, that had a beautiful view of the village. The one desk in the room was in the left hand corner, covered with pictures of family and friends. On the wall opposite to the desk were frames holding different certificates of education and training. There was a lone plant next to the office entrance, roughly the size of a small bush. It was in much better shape than Naruto's plants back home.

"Humph," Naruto grumbled to himself, taking in the atmosphere of the room.

Turning his attention back to the two photos on the desk, Naruto leaned and observed them closely. The first picture was of a little girl with shoulder-length blond hair and bright blue pupil-less eyes. She was holding a bouquet of flowers with the children's swing set from the park in the background. Naruto squinted his eyes at the picture. He swore he had seen this girl before, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

'Maybe we went to the academy with each other back in the day?' Naruto thought, shrugging to himself as he turned to examine the second picture located next to the first.

It showed a young blond man who seemed to be in his early twenties. He had bleach-blond hair that he wore in a ponytail with the same pupil-less blue eyes as the little girl in the first picture. He was standing on what seemed to be a beach, where he was giving a cheesy thumbs-up to the camera. Naruto squinted his eyes again, leaning in close to the picture.

'Where the Hell have I seen these people before?!' Naruto thought, growing frustrated that he could feel he knew who these people were but couldn't peg them by these old photos. "Ah, man! This is going to drive me crazy!"

Naruto was cut from his thoughts as the office door slowly opened. Naruto quickly switched back to his prissy mood, looking towards the doctor. He jumped to his feet off of the couch, pointing his finger at the mystery person.

"HEY! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE-" Naruto shouted, as the door fully opened to reveal a beautiful woman. "Ma… king….. me… wait…" Naruto trailed off, his eyes growing wide while his cheeks grew a blush.

The woman standing in the door had to be in her late thirties or early forties. She had long brown hair that reached the middle of her back. She wore it down, with a small red hair pin holding her bangs to the side. Her eyes were a soft hazel that popped with the slight makeup she wore. She had on the usual white robes all the doctors whore when they were on duty. Even with the robes on, Naruto could see she was very beautiful. She was carrying a small cardboard box and a manila file in her hands, though Naruto didn't pay much attention to what she was carrying.

"AH! Good, you're here already, Uzumaki-San. I'm so sorry for being late; I had to change into my robes and grab your file," she spoke, walking towards her desk as the door closed behind her. "I hope you weren't waiting long?"

"Ahhh…welfkgn," Naruto mumbled, unable to articulate proper words.

She sat herself down into her desk chair and spun to face Naruto, placing the box on the floor and lifting the file she carried. She flicked it open and read it quietly to herself.

"So you're the patient Tsunade wanted me to see so urgently, eh? Well, I see here that you haven't ever been to any other therapists before, so I guess we will have to do a full evaluation with no short cuts." She spoke quietly to herself as Naruto continued to stare at her with an open mouth.

"If I read her note right, this is to see if you are fit for duty, correct?" she asked sweetly. Naruto didn't answer.

"Well, I guess we should get started then, eh? The quicker we get this done, the quicker we can see if you can be a ninja again." She smiled at Naruto, pulling out her notebook and pen from her desk to jot down what she saw fit.

She started to write down the basic information such as the date and time as Naruto continued to stare. Finally, pulling his mouth shut and shaking his head violently, he was able to compose himself.

"M…ma'am?" Naruto said quietly, afraid to speak loudly for some reason.

"Hmm?" she hummed sweetly, looking up from what she was writing in her notebook.

Naruto gulped.

"I…I'm happy you know who I am… but… w… who are you?" Naruto asked, staring at the woman blankly, trying his best not to show his nervousness.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Uzumaki-San! Where are my manners?" she stated loudly, waving her hand in front of her face, clearly embarrassed.

She stood from her chair and leaned over her desk, placing a hand down for balance. Lifting her other arm and outstretching her hand gesturing for a hand shake, she smiled.

"My name is Ezra Yamanaka!" she stated happily.

Naruto leaned forward on the couch and grasped her hand in his, shaking firmly. He had a concentrating stare on his face as he looked at the woman.

"Ezra….. Yamanaka… Ya… ma… na… ka…" Naruto said slowly, contemplating the name before his eyes shot open, letting go of her hand abruptly. "YAMANAKA!" Naruto hollered, shock written on his face.

Naruto studied Ezra's face as she looked back with wide eyes at his sudden outburst. The gears were turning in Naruto's head as he finally was able to put the dots together. Her jaw line, her complexion…her body, Naruto blushed. Naruto flung his eyes to the picture of the young girl on Ezra's desk, now realizing who it was. He shot his vision back at her just as quickly. Extending his right arm out in front of him and pointing at her face, Naruto hollered.

"YOU'RE INO'S MOM, AREN'T YOU!?" Naruto screamed, causing Ezra to wince from the volume.

"Yes I am he-he!" She spoke softly, which threw Naruto off because the only other woman to ever talk to him in this tone was his mom, Kushina.

Naruto didn't spend much time thinking about it, though, as the knowledge of her being a Yamanaka set in.

'Wait… if she's a Yamanaka….. who specialize in mental torture….' Naruto's face grew even paler then it already was. He began to look around the room for the quickest means of escape. 'I GOTTA GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE! THIS LADY'S GONNA MIND CRUSH ME!'

Ezra watched with concerned eyes as Naruto flung his head in every direction, clearly searching for something while sweating bullets. She finally caught on to what he was probably freaking out about. She giggled loudly, causing Naruto to stop his flailing and look at her confused.

"HE-HE! You don't have to worry," she said happily, giving Naruto a reassuring look. "I'm not like my daughter, who specializes in mental torture. I like to build the mind up, not tear it down."

Naruto relaxed at the information. With her soft tone and innocent demeanor, he couldn't help but trust her. Naruto smiled back

"Well, that's really nice to hear!" Naruto said loudly.

Ezra smiled again, deciding to bring the conversation to what he said before.

"You were in the same graduating class with Ino, correct?" Ezra asked, sitting down and beginning to write in her notebook.

"Uh… Ya! We are both a part of the 122nd graduating class, nicknamed the Rookie 9," Naruto stated, settling back into the couch, lowering his voice again. "We are a lot older now, but some of the elder ninja still call us the rooks, haha," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head softly.

Ezra looked upon Naruto with soft eyes, returning the bright smile Naruto was giving her. He just seemed to radiate whatever mood he was in, whether being joy or complete sorrow. She began to write this information down, urging Naruto to continue.

"Are you still close with the other rookies?" Ezra asked, jotting small scribbles into the notebook.

"Are you joking!? They are my closest friends! That's still not even counting Lee, TenTen, and Kakashi-Sensei," Naruto said, a large smile on his face as his arms flung around, emphasizing his every word. "They are basically my family. I would do anything to make any one of them happy! I would lay my life down to protect them."

Ezra smiled, listening to Naruto. She was happy Ino had a friend like Naruto.

"Do you feel they would do the same for you?" she asked, glancing up to look at Naruto with a lifted brow.

Naruto turned his attention towards the window overlooking the village. The sun was starting to set just above the great stone walls in the distance. The buildings glowed with the reds and purples of the sunset. It was a beautiful view. Naruto looked upon it with no emotion on his face, seeming to be silently enjoying it.

"I think they would," Naruto spoke softly, a whisper so low Ezra had to strain to hear him.

Thoughts of his friends popped in his head as he continued to look out the window. The last two were Sakura smiling wide at him and Sasuke giving a sly smirk. "I know they would, actually," Naruto said confidently, returning to his normal tone of voice.

Naruto spun his vision to look back at Ezra, who was smiling wide at him. She was just staring at him, having stopped writing. She hummed to herself softly before turning back to the notebook to continue writing. Naruto raised his brow at her while crossing his arms at her actions, jutting out his lower lip in a playful pout.

"What?" Naruto asked blankly.

"Huh?" Ezra looked from her writings with a confused look.

"Why did you look at me with that look and then hum like you knew something?" Naruto asked, leaning forward with squinted eyes.

Ezra smiled, giggling softly to herself, looking Naruto in the eyes happily.

"It's just that you are very close to your friends from what I can tell. Makes me happy Ino has someone in her life like you." Ezra spoke softly, flicking the few strands of hair that had fallen out of her face.

Naruto blushed at the compliment, not used to being so openly acknowledged.

"Thank you… but I wouldn't worry about me needing to sacrifice myself for Ino, haha!" Naruto said, pulling his hands behind his head and linking his fingers together.

Ezra gave Naruto a confused look, not understanding what he meant.

"What do you mean? Do you not get along with my daughter?" she asked, with growing concern on her face.

Naruto opened his eyes wide, shaking his hands in front of his face along with his head.

"No, no! Ino and I are great friends, I swear!" Naruto squealed, trying to correct his mistake. Ezra let out a sigh of relief at hearing this. "I just mean that she's a super cool and badass ninja! She wouldn't need me to swoop in and rescue her!" Naruto smiled widely, seeing how happy this information made Ezra.

"I'm happy you say that, Naruto. I will think of those words to keep me from worrying when she's out on missions," she said softly. Obviously, she deeply loved her daughter. "She also thinks very highly of you, as well."

Naruto looked at her baffled, not believing what she just said.

"What do you mean she 'thinks highly of me'? The Ino I talk to always belittles me like I'm a bother!" Naruto stated, crossing his arms again with a flustered humph.

"Oh, that's just her defense mechanism when she's uncomfortable with someone, but trust me. When it's only me and her and she talks about her friends… all I hear are great things about you." Ezra tilted her head to the side happily.

"Wow….I didn't think she thought anything good about me!" Naruto stated, a baffled look on his face. Crossing his legs and leaning against the coach, Naruto sat thinking about this new side of Ino.

"Oh, you would be surprised…" Ezra said in an "I know something you don't know" tone.

"And what do you mean her defense when she's uncomfortable? Why the hell would she be uncomfortable around me!?" Naruto asked, raising one eyebrow high while he squinted his other eye.

Ezra looked at Naruto blankly, a sweat drop forming on her head.

'Wow…. he really has no clue, does he?' she thought to herself. 'His understanding of woman is almost as bad as his father's!' she thought jokingly.

"Oh, don't worry too much about it." She said softly with a loving look.

'I know you will find out eventually, knowing my daughter he-he,' she thought in a sweet tone.

Naruto huffed, once again turning to look out the window. He stared out the window with solid blue eyes. Those eyes brought memories of old friends to Ezra's mind. She studied his face and his body. She thought he was almost a spitting image of her old crush.

"You know… You look just like your father… It's kind of scary, really," Ezra said sweetly, returning to sitting in her office chair, crossing her legs. "Very handsome, if I do say so myself, and I know I'm not the only one. (Cough) Ino (Cough)"

Naruto's eyes grew wide at this sudden complement, spinning to look at her quickly. Naruto did not registering the name between her fake coughs. He stared at her, his head whirling at all the new questions that came to mind at the mention of his dad.

"Y…you knew my dad!? You knew Minato!?" Naruto asked loudly, looking from one of Ezra's eye's to the other.

Ezra sweat dropped again at how Naruto didn't catch her blatant attempt at showing Ino was interested in him.

'Oh…. whatever…. She'll just have to tell him…. while she's beating him with a cardboard heart or something! Because if she isn't flat out blatant with this guy…. I doubt he will get it, haha!' Ezra thought in laughter.

"Well of course! I knew Kushina, as well." Ezra smiled. She turned and pulled open a drawer next to her, lifting out a framed picture holding a fairly old photo.

She turned it over and extended it for Naruto to take. Naruto leaned forward, grasping the picture tightly so as not drop it. He stared at the picture with wide eyes. It was an old academy photo with _Graduating Class 107__th_Printed on top of the photo. Looking closely into the group of 13 year olds in the photo, he could see Minato and Kushina standing off to the side. Next to them was a girl who Naruto could plainly see was a younger Ezra.

"We were all a part of the same graduating class. We stayed friends for a long time after as well." Ezra smiled, leaning forward to take back the picture.

Naruto handed over the picture while his eyes twinkled with delight at the new development. He had finally found someone who could tell him stories about his parents and help him feel more connected to his roots.

"That means you have tons of stories! Stories you can tell me!" Naruto said happily, a wide grin across his face as he bounced with a giggle.

"Oh yes! Tons!" Ezra said with equal happiness, feeding off of the emotions Naruto was emitting. "Although, this isn't the place to be going down memory lane, he-he!"

Naruto's mood dropped slightly, not wanting to be denied more information about his family. He quickly went back to smiling though, figuring he could come talk to her later now that he knew who she was and knowing where she lived.

"Well, I guess you're right," Naruto said softly. "But can I come by your home sometime? I would LOVE to hear about them!"

Ezra finished writing down her note and looked back up towards the ecstatic Naruto.

"Sure! I would love to talk to you about them sometime. It would be fun!" Ezra said happily.

'I know Ino would like to have you over as well, he-he,' she thought with a dark laugh.

"Cool! Thank you very much!" Naruto said, putting on his widest smile yet, completely overjoyed that he would get to hear about his parents' lives outside of being a ninja.

"Of course! Now, Naruto, I hear you're quite the talented ninja! Might I hear some of those great stories I'm sure you have?" Ezra asked with a sly smile, reeling the oblivious Naruto into his evaluation.

"Sure!" Naruto stated loudly, giving her a thumbs up.

Ezra was able to get Naruto to talk about basically his whole life after that. They spoke of his countless battles and all the training he'd gone through over the years. They talked of Ero-Sennin, and how much he respected him and missed him. She learned Naruto could play guitar and liked to write music in his free time. This surprised her momentarily. Naruto briefly touched upon Sasuke and the promise he made him and thus, why he was so eager to get back into action after the past six months. He needed to become Hokage and keep Sasuke's promise alive. He talked about the conversation he just had with Sakura a little while ago, pulling out his new jacket and talking about how cool it was. Naruto's stories touched her… he was a wonderful man. He was a little banged up… but he could find his old self again with time and effort.

The appointment Naruto had been dreading turned into an enjoyable hour long conversation.

Ezra finished writing down the last of her notes and closed her notebook. She looked over to Naruto, who was once again looking out the window at the now dark village, lit only by small beams of moonlight. She coughed to get his attention.

"Well, I would say… I have all I need to give a proper answer to lady Tsunade on your condition," Ezra said softly, not wanting to pierce the calming silence in the room at the moment.

Naruto looked away from the window to give Ezra a genuinely confused look.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, confused. "You haven't asked any questions or run any tests yet."

"What do you mean, Naruto-San? We've been doing your evaluation the entire time," Ezra said calmly.

"All we've done is talk about stuff…. You haven't, like…. asked me anything that can help you tell if I'm mentally well," Naruto said, watching as she smiled at him, confusing him even more.

"But that's what we just did," she said, trying not to laugh at the look Naruto was giving her. "I learned about your past and your dreams. I learned about how you feel about the people around you and how much they mean to you…. I even learned about your current mental state with the way you spoke and how creatively you talked of your stories."

Naruto stared at her, realizing she had been playing him the entire time. She had tested him in subtle ways with her questions and comments… she was good. Naruto was impressed.

"Well…. damn….. That was…. painless," Naruto said with a slightly shocked look on his face. "I expected you to like…. probe my mind with some jutsu, or something."

"We could still do that if you want, Naruto-San," Ezra offered, getting an evil grin as she wiggled her fingers menacingly.

"Uh…. no thanks," Naruto said with a whimper, shivering in fear.

"Oh, too bad…. Maybe next time!" Ezra said cheerily, returning to her sweet tone and smile.

Naruto relaxed as well before realizing that meant she had the answer to whether or not he would be allowed back.

"Wait… so if we're done…. That means you know if I can be a ninja again!" Naruto jumped onto his feet as he filled with excitement. Ezra looked at him casually, not affected this time by his mood.

"Yes…. yes I do." She casually got up, placing her notebook onto her desk. She leaned down and picked up the box she had brought in with her. Naruto watched her, his fear growing with her sudden loss of emotion.

'OH NO! She's going to fail me…..please don't fail me!' Naruto pleaded to himself as he gulped.

Walking around her desk, Ezra carried the box over to Naruto and extended it forward for him to take. Naruto took the box from her and, returning to sit on the couch, placed it on his lap. He studied the box, reading the _For Safe Keeping _written on the side. Naruto's eyes widened, realizing it was the same box Tsunade had carried out of her office earlier.

"I was told to give this to you when I made my decision," Ezra said, standing right in front of Naruto. She waited for him to open it.

Naruto turned his attention back to the box, wondering what lay inside. He nervously reached for the lid.

'What the hell is in here!? An "I'm sorry" letter from Tsunade for not passing!? A permanent ban from the Konoha Military?!' Naruto was freaking out as he lifted the lid with shaky hands.

He opened the box to see there was nice, sparkly, purple cloth wrapped on the inside lining the walls. There seemed to be a foam insert under the cloth, protecting the object that sat in the middle. Naruto pulled the object from the box, looking at it with a huge smile spreading across his face. Tears welled in the corner of his eyes.

The box held a spotless, brand new Konoha forehead protector, with a long black cloth as the straps. Just like his old one.

"Welcome back, Naruto-San!" Ezra said, extending her hand out for a congratulatory handshake. "You passed!"

Naruto shot from his seated position, enveloping Ezra in a huge hug as he bounced and hollered in joy.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" Naruto cheered, finally letting go of the bewildered doctor.

Once set back down on her own feet, Ezra flattened out the wrinkles Naruto had just put in her robe. She watched him dance around the room, holding his forehead protector out in both hands like it was Simba from the Lion King. She laughed.

"Calm down, Naruto-San, he-he!" Ezra laughed out, grabbing Naruto's shoulders to stop his bouncing. "I'll send the paperwork to lady Tsunade, ok? Why don't you head home and relax. I'm sure you will have a busy next couple of weeks, now that you're reinstated." She let go of Naruto now that he was calmer.

"You got it, Mrs. Yamanaka! I'll head straight home so I can get up early to get some missions!" Naruto spoke with joy as he tied his new forehead protector to his head. "Thank you SO, SO much, Mrs. Yamanaka! This busy day just turned out to be worth it!"

Naruto bounded to the office door, flinging it open. He dashed down the hall, chanting to himself that he was "back."

Ezra sighed to herself, listening to his voice and loud jogging down the hall.

"NARUTO!" she called loudly, but somehow still in a sweet tone.

The sound of running and chanting stopped for a second before the sounds of steps grew louder, indicating that he was running back to her office. Poking his head back in the room from around the corner, Naruto smiled.

"YESSS, MRS. YAMANAKA! Naruto yelled loudly, joy still clear in his voice and written all over his face.

Ezra pointed towards the box on her coffee table with a cute smile.

"You're forgetting your present from Sakura," she said quietly, trying to hold back her giggles from the boy's antics.

Naruto grew wide eyes and dashed in the room, grabbing the box and returning to the entrance of the door with a blur.

"Haha, thanks... That would have sucked, huh?" Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head above his headband, embarrassed. "Thanks again, Mrs. Yamanaka! Have an awesome night!" Naruto turned towards the door, ready to take off again… but was stopped.

"Wait! Naruto, before you go!" Ezra said quite loudly, causing Naruto to look over his shoulder one last time. "Call me Ezra, please." She wore the most loving smile she had shown all evening.

Naruto stopped his jogging in place for a brief second before giving her an equally sweet grin.

"You got it, Ezra-Sama!" Naruto said happily, before taking off down the hall again, leaving for good.

Ezra giggled slightly to herself. She turned and picked up her notebook on her desk as she walked to the door. She flicked the light switch down, casting the room in darkness, before she pulled her office door shut with a loud click. Turning to her left to look the direction Naruto had just taken off in, she sighed.

'What a sweet boy… my daughter has good taste,' she thought in a cute tone. 'Now if she would just get over that other boy….. Oh, well…. time heals all wounds, they say.'

And with that final thought, she turned on her heel and started walking to the doctors' lounge in the opposite direction.

-Hokage Office-

Tsunade's office was quiet, the only sound being her pen scribbling on paper. The room was covered in darkness from the lack of sun through the windows. The only light source was a desk lamp that illuminated the small papers on the wood desk.

(Knock) (Knock) (Knock)

The front door to Tsunade's office clacked, causing her to look up from the last bit of paper work that needed tending to before heading home.

"Come in!" Tsunade called loudly, leaning back in her chair and waiting for whoever it was to enter.

The door creaked open ad Shizune walked in slowly, holding what seemed to be a letter in her left hand.

"Ah! Shizune, what is it?" Tsunade asked in her usual confident tone, as Shizune walked up to the front of her desk.

"I just got a letter from Ezra Yamanaka, milady. It seems to be a report on something… should I save it until tomorrow?" she asked, holding up the envelope for Tsunade to see in the dim light.

"No, just give it here; I'll take a look at it real quick." Tsunade spoke with an emotionless tone, reaching out for the letter.

Shizune nodded and handed over the paper. She gave a quick bow before turning to leave the room. At the sound of the door closing, Tsunade started breaking the glued seal. Lifting the piece of paper from the envelope, Tsunade turned and dropped the envelope it in the trash can next to her desk. Unfolding the letter lazily while angling it in the light from her lamp so she could read….she smiled.

_Dear Lady Tsunade, _

_I have just finished my hour and half long session with Mr. Uzumaki Naruto. I have run my questions and subtle methods of testing by him. With this being said, I am very happy to report Mr. Uzumaki passed with flying colors! He showed great character and willingness to understand his surroundings. His memory was spit spot and he showed no falter in his mental psyche. He does have his quirks that should be looked out for until he is fully well again, but no real problems. I have promptly given him his new headband and signed the paperwork for his reinstatement. I am honored that you personally requested me for this task, and hope this news gives you great joy. _

_Until Next Time_

_-Ezra Yamanaka_

Tsunade refolded the letter and placed it on her desk softly. She spun in her chair and stopped herself to stare out the window over the dark village. She still had the large smile on her face.

'Well…. starting tomorrow… things are going to get a lot more stressful around here,' Tsunade thought, closing her eyes slowly. 'Welcome back, kid.'

-Yamanaka Residence-

The front door to the Yamanaka house creaked open slowly. Ezra walked through the door into the entrance hall closing it behind her. Pulling off her jacket and hanging it on the coat rack, she sat down on the small step to unbutton her shoes. She smelled something delicious in the air, which meant Ino was cooking.

"Welcome home, Mom!" Ezra heard from behind her.

She turned to look over her shoulder and saw Ino poking her head around the corner from the kitchen at the end of the hall.

"Hello, Sweetie," Ezra called, turning to continue taking off her shoes.

Ino walked back into the kitchen to tend to the dinner she was cooking.

"I made your favorite, Mom!" Ino said loudly enough to be heard throughout the house.

Ezra walked around the corner, taking in a deep breath to savor the smell.

"Curry, huh!? Thank you Ino, that's very sweet," Ezra said happily, walking over to the cabinets to pull out the plates and utensils.

"I figured I'd make this for you since I get to hear how the appointment with Naruto went!" Ino cheerfully replied as she added the spices and seasonings to the sauce.

Ezra stopped gathering the materials for the table a looked at Ino baffled. She gave her daughter an up and down look with a raised brow from over her shoulder.

"How did you find out it was with Naruto-San?" Ezra asked.

Ino shrugged, not looking away from stirring the meal.

"Lucky wild-ass guess," Ino said sweetly, as she smiled to herself. "Plus you seem emotionally exhausted, and Naruto definitely has that effect on people."

Ezra laughed out loud at that, turning to walk towards the table with the plates, cups, and spoons in her hands. She handed the plates to Ino on her way by.

"Yes… he definitely does, doesn't he, he-he!" Ezra laughed, placing the materials on the table and distributing them to the proper places.

Ino walked over to the table and placed down two plates filled with curry and rice. She wiped her hands on her apron before pulling it off and placing it on the counter next to the sink. She returned to the table where both women sat down to enjoy their dinner.

Both clasped their hands together with smiles on their faces.

"Itadakimasu!" They proclaimed in unison. (Itadakimasu-I gratefully receive)

Ezra instantly grabbed her spoon and dug into her favorite meal, humming with pleasure at the delicious flavors. Ino, however, didn't touch her food. Instead, she chose rather to place her elbows on the table next to her plate, leaning her head on her hands as she stared at her mom sweetly. She waited for her mother to notice her gaze.

Ezra looked up from here meal with puffed out cheeks, noticing Ino staring at her with a wide grin.

"Whauft?" Ezra asked with a full mouth, growing uncomfortable under Ino's gaze.

Ino leaned further over the table, growing an even bigger smile.

"SOOOO...! How did the evaluation go?" Ino asked excitedly.

Ezra swallowed the large amount of food in her mouth with an audible gulp. She lifted her napkin to her mouth, patting her lips lightly before placing it back on the table. She closed her eyes and grew a serious look on her face. Ino was about to burst with anticipation, feeling whatever her mother was going to say was going to be good! With a deep breath, Ezra spoke.

"Can't tell ya!" she said calmly, opening her eyes to give Ino an evil look.

Ino slammed her head on the table, shocked and thrown off by the answer. She lifted her head, showing a bright red mark on her forehead, and shot her arm out, pointing angrily at Ezra.

"What the hell do you mean, you 'can't say'!?" Ino hollered, frustrated. "You told me you would tell me all about it!"

Ezra smiled at her daughter, laughing internally at her actions.

"I can't tell you because it was a special request from the Hokage… meaning…" Ezra lifted her fingers to her lips, pulling them across to signify a zipper. "It's sealed."

Ino slumped down into her chair with anger as she grabbed her spoon and pulled her food in front of her.

"That's bull!" Ino hollered, beginning to stuff her face with food to help keep herself calm.

Ezra watched her daughter, giggling to herself. Watching her daughter so upset that she wasn't going to get any information on her crush amused her. Ino had no idea that her mother knew of her fondness of the boy, but she had known for a few months now. She had known when, during a conversation they had, Ino complimented Naruto… Ino never complimented people. So Ezra had been waiting for Ino to make her move, but she never had. Come to find out, Naruto had locked himself away for a while, only returning to the world recently.

Ino continued to smash her face with food, mumbling between bites how bull shit it was she couldn't hear about the appointment. Ezra giggled again; she would throw her daughter a small bone.

"He plays guitar…" Ezra said softly, causing Ino to stop shoveling down her food.

"W… what?" Ino asked, giving her mom a confused look.

"Naruto…. he plays guitar… says he writes music as well…. Interesting, no? And you don't have to worry…. he passed… He's a shinobi once again."

Ino stared at her mom blankly, not knowing how to respond to the information. Ezra picked up her spoon again, preparing to finish her meal.

"That's all you're getting from me, though, so hush it!" Ezra said evilly, taking a bite of her meal and moaning again at the taste.

Ino also returned to eating her meal, much slower than before. The table drifted into silence with the sound of spoons hitting plates and the awkward hums from Ezra with every bite being the only breaks. Ino drifted to her thoughts with the lack of conversation.

'He plays guitar!?... Naruto!?... The Naruto…. Since fucking when!?' Ino thought to herself, scrunching her face as she thought. 'And he writes music…. I wonder if he sings. Wait... I wonder if he would play and sing for me!?'

Visions of Naruto playing his guitar while singing sweetly to Ino in the moonlight made her heart flutter, bringing a pink tint to her cheeks. She continued to daydream about the blond man as she finished her dinner silently. She must have completely spaced out after finishing her food, because she was finally pulled from her thoughts by fingers snapping in front of her face.

"EY! Ino, are you in there!?" Ezra called loudly, trying to get her attention.

"Huh? Oh sorry, Mom… must have spaced out," Ino said in a whisper, blinking to regain her focus.

"You think!? You've been sitting there for 30 minutes," Ezra sighed out. "Listen, I already did the dishes while you were in La-La land, so I'm heading to bed."

Ino blinked, looking at the table and realizing all the dishes were gone, the table wiped clean.

'Wow… I really did space out,' Ino thought, shocked that it was even possible for her to be completely oblivious to the world around her.

"Ok, Mom… good night…" Ino said softly as Ezra leaned down and placed a quick peck on her forehead.

"Night sweetie, Love you," Ezra said, making her way to the stairs and walking up to retire to her room.

Ino stood up from her seat, pushing it under the table with a slightly loud screech. Turning, she walked out of the kitchen, flicking the light switch off. She walked down the hall to the front door, turning the bolt to lock the door. She reached over and flicked the switch to turn off the front porch and hallway light. Ino was now in complete darkness, with the only light being the moon pouring in through the small window next to the door. Ino stopped and looked out at the moon, letting the dim light glow over her.

'So you're a ninja again, huh, Naruto?' Ino thought to herself, growing a small, loving smile. 'Let's hope we get teamed up soon…. I wouldn't mind helping you pick up a couple more of those pieces.'

Ino hummed a tune to herself as she turned to walk towards her room with a sway in her hips. She was ready to let her dreams wash her away to thoughts of her fellow loud blond. She could feel in her bones that the next couple of months were going to be exciting.

…. if only she had a clue.

-Naruto's Apartment-

The front door to Naruto's apartment creaked open with a slow swing. Naruto walked in, dragging his feet tiredly. The events and high emotions of the day had finally caught up with Naruto, making him feel exhausted. His eyes were half open and his mouth hung agape slightly. He un-pocketed all of his belongings onto the counter next to the door, pulled his forehead protector off and placed it on the counter. He reached out, plugging in his phone to charge with a small ding at the recognition of the electricity from the socket. He then leaned down to unbutton his sandals. He flicked them off of his feet lazily, not bothering to see where they landed, then strolled to his room.

He entered his room and tossed the box holding his new outfit into his closet floor, too tired to hang it up properly. He was just going to wear it tomorrow, anyways. Still standing in front of his closet, Naruto reached up and unzipped his grey jacket. He shrugged his shoulders and wiggled his arms, letting it fall to the floor with a ruffle. Putting his foot under the jacket he lifted his leg up quickly, kicking it into his closet lazily. Reaching forward, he slid the closet door closed. Naruto's stomach growled loudly, causing him to look down with dead eyes.

'Foooooood…' Naruto thought to himself slowly.

He turned towards his bedroom door and walked through the trash-littered floor. He marched like a mindless zombie through the hall with a slouch in his shoulders and his arms hanging lifelessly by his side. He was way too tired and hungry to care.

Reaching the kitchen, Naruto continued his lazy march to the front of his fridge. He stopped and stood in front of it for 5 minutes, doing nothing. He eventually blinked a couple times and realized he was in the kitchen. He looked at the fridge with seemingly lifeless eyes.

'Fooooooood,' Naruto thought, reaching forward to grasp the handle.

Naruto yanked the door open. As he stared inside with dead tired eyes… he saw that the fridge was barren. The only thing inside was a month past date carton of milk that he, even as tired as he was, wasn't stupid enough to drink.

'No fooooood,' Naruto thought with no emotion, blinking slowly at the cold, empty box.

Naruto shut the door with a grumble as he turned to the cabinet above the stupid empty fridge.

He reached up and pulled the two cabinet doors open. This was the spot where he kept all of his beloved cup ramen… it was completely empty. Naruto let his arms fall back to his side loosely as he looked at the cabinet blankly. His left eye twitched.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS ALL MY FOOD!" Naruto shouted towards the heavens.

'**You don't have any, idiot! Remember?" **Kurama stated, rolling his eyes. **"That's why you left your house in the first place." **

Naruto looked down at the floor with sad eyes.

"Oh ya…. that's right huh…" Naruto said quietly before flinging his head back towards to ceiling. "FUUUUUUUUUUUCK! I'M TOO TIRED TO GO THE DAMN STORE! NOW I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MORNING!"

Kurama laughed to himself, receding back into the subconscious of Naruto's mind. Naruto grumbled curses to himself as he walked lazily back to his room. Flopping on his bed face first, Naruto turned to look out his window, his face half-buried in his pillow. Despite his hunger and fatigue, he looked out at the bright moon with excitement.

'Well… it all restarts tomorrow,' Naruto thought, taking a deep breath. 'Time to get back to it! Look out world, the Blazing Angel of Konoha is back and ready for action!'

Naruto let his eyes fall heavily as he drifted off to sleep, pumped for tomorrow for the first time in months. He had the feeling his life was about to get exciting.

…If only he knew.

-Unidentifiable Location-

Six figures cloaked in shadows sat around a large wooden table. There was no light in the room except for a lone candle sitting in the center of the table. The dim light did little to brighten the room, leaving the figures' faces unseen. They all sat quietly, waiting for someone to speak.

"Why have we all decided to gather after all this time?" one of the shadowed figures spoke with the deep voice of a male. "Is it time to gather the pieces?"

"We should! The day of the black moon is only six months away!" another figure spoke, this time the voice of a female. "If we don't have all six pieces by then, we will miss our chance!"

"Oh, hush! You know we won't miss our deadline." Another female voice spoke out, though hers sounded to be younger. "You must be stupid if you think we would!"

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU CALLING STU-" the first woman yelled back, but was interrupted.

"ENOUGH!" A loud voice rattled throughout the room. "Please be quiet while I speak."

The two women stopped their bickering and focused on the second man who had yelled. He held a deep voice, but spoke softly. Even in the dark, the others could see he held himself with proper posture and pride. It was obvious that he was the leader.

"Yes, sir." Both women spoke in unison, calming themselves and sinking into their seats.

The man placed his elbows on the table and laced his fingers together. He raised his vision to look out at his five followers.

"To answer your question, Jurobii…" The Leader spoke out softly, referring the first man to speak. "I have indeed asked you all here so we may begin gathering the Six Gifts of The Sage of Six Paths."

The other five figures smiled at this. They were all happy to know that they were finally going unleash their plan.

"We will begin to gather the six _Miru Hito_ (The Beholder) of Light, Darkness, Wisdom, Strength, Purity, and Sin." The leader spoke softly, almost like he was an older man. "We will gather all six powers and then on the night of the Black Moon…. we will get what we desire."

"Excellent!" A new voice chimed in, this being the one of a young man. "When shall we start?" he spoke in a sinister tone.

"Tonight," the Leader spoke again as he slid a photo out over the table for all to see.

It was a picture of a small girl, no more than seven years old. The members of the table looked at it without emotion.

"She is the _Miru Hito_ of Purity…. the first piece to our puzzle," the leader voiced.

The group of people smiled wide at this information.

"Kira, Haru!" The Leader spoke out suddenly, with a confident and loud tone.

The two females who had been bickering before snapped to attention.

"Yes, Sir!?" They said once again in unison, with a nervous tone in their voices.

"Bring her to me…" the man uttered softly, pointing to the picture.

The two females looked at each other and smiled wickedly. One leaned over to grasp the picture to take with them.

"Gladly," one of the females spoke out as they both stood from their seats. With a turn, they both silently walked away into the darkness of the room.

"What about us, old man?" Jurobii spoke out.

The Leader slid another photo across the table for them to see. This picture held what seemed to be a criminal mug shot of a young man. He looked to be in his twenties, with a prickly, unshaven face.

"You three will fetch the bonding opposite of Purity… you will fetch the _Miru Hito _of Sin." The Leader ordered.

The man next to Jurobii leaned forward and picked up the photo as he spoke out.

"It will be done quickly, sir." The man slid the photo into his vest pocket.

With that, the three men stood up and walked away just as silently as the women, Kira and Haru, had.

Alone at last in the room, the Leader sat quietly. He pulled out four more pictures, laying them out on the table in front of him. He stared at each photo for a couple of minutes before moving onto the next. He did so until he reached the fourth and final photo. Leaning his shaky left hand forward, he picked up the picture. In the dim light provided from the candle it could be seen that his left hand had been taped over for some reason. Holding the photo up to his face he studied it, a small wicked smile creeping over his face.

"Ah… I've heard so much about you, boy… I hear you hold great power…? I hope to test that rumor…. The great _Miru Hito _of Light." He giggled to himself, gripping the picture tightly and causing it to crinkle. "We will meet soon…. Uzumaki Naruto."

The candle on the table blew out. The room was cast into pitch black darkness….. there was a sudden silence. The room was now empty.

END CHAPTER 4


	6. Chapter 5 Mission Start! (Fixed)

((FORMATTING FIX!))

(Sorry for the compressed chapter, here it is re-uploaded to my usual format. Hope you can enjoy the chapter much more easily now! Sorry for the mix up.)

(AN: So I just want to send a huge shout out to my new Beta! I'll keep her name anonymous for her sake but she knows who she is! She really is helping me get the grammar aspect of my story under control! Just by reading through it after she helped clean up the chapter I can see how much better it flows. I hope you guys agree and the new structuring she helped put together makes it a more enjoyable and easier read! As always hope you all enjoy and look forward to reviews.)

Chapter 5 Mission Start!

(BANG) (BANG) (BANG)

"NARUTO!" Sakura yelled, banging on Naruto's front door and rattling the hinges with the force.

"Mmmmg…" Naruto grumbled, pushing his face further into his pillow, not wanting to wake up just yet.

(BANG) (BANG) (BANG)

"NARUTO I SWEAR TO GOD IM NOT DOING THIS SHIT ANYMORE! ANSWER YOUR FUCKING DOOR!" Sakura hollered, her voice being slightly muffled by the walls.

'_Fuck off, whoever you are!'_ Naruto thought in a tired tone.

"NNAARRUUTTOO!" Sakura hollered even louder.

"Oh…for fuck's sake…." Naruto grumbled, irritation in his tired voice.

Naruto rolled to his back, now fully awake and staring at his fan slowly spinning on the ceiling. His eyes half open, Naruto rolled to get out of bed. He marched lazily through his room, kicking an empty ramen cup in frustration at having been woken up. He made his way down the short hall to his front door. It continued to be rattled with being knocked on so forcefully, which did nothing for Naruto's grumpy mood. The last two weeks since being reinstated had been utter hell enough without this annoyance.

Tsunade had him running ragged with all sorts of low D rank mission. He was doing ridiculous things like babysitting small children for lazy parents, or mowing villagers' lawns - the whole block's lawns! He even had to help clean out the Inuzuka clan's dog kennels one day... That would leave mental scars for life. Tsunade obviously didn't want Naruto to be on higher end missions yet, but this was bull shit in Naruto's eyes. He wanted to get some action, not care for the elderly or some other crap. He was going to explode with anger if he had one more stupid D rank mission. So to say Naruto was grumpy… would be an understatement.

'_Whoever this is… is going to freaking die!'_ Naruto thought to himself.

Naruto reached his front door with a stomp and grumble. He reached forward, unbolted his door quickly, and with a grand flourish pulled it open. Sakura swung her hand at the door again and met with thin air, her eyes slightly widening at its sudden movement. Naruto glared at Sakura with half open eyes.

"WWWWWWHHHHHAT!" Naruto screamed in anger, not realizing who he was raising his voice too.  
Naruto was met with a heavy smack to the top of his skull, sending his vision downward as a lump rose on his head. His already blurry vision worsened tenfold as he raised his head to try and focus on the pissed off Sakura.

"Who the hell do you think you're yelling at, asshole!?" Sakura yelled as she crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her right foot quickly.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Sakura as he rubbed his now sore head. He re-straightened himself, never breaking eye contact with Sakura. He chose to ignore her question.

"What are you doing here, Sakura-Oneechan?" Naruto asked, regaining his tired tone while dropping his hand to his side. "It's six in the damn morning."

Sakura looked at Naruto with a twitch in her eye, trying not to hit him again.

"First off Naruto, it's freaking noon, and second, go get your stuff on. We got a mission." Sakura stated, looking Naruto up and down seeing he was in nothing but his boxers and a black muscle shirt.

Finally able to get his blurry vision focused, Naruto noticed what Sakura was wearing. Sakura was in her usual ninja uniform with the only difference being she wore the new black headband she got from Naruto two weeks prior.

Naruto didn't get excited at this information though, thinking it was going to be another stupid ass D rank mission.

"Great! What do we have to do? Round up some stray cats that a lady lost?" Naruto asked sarcastically. "Because if I have to do one more stupid D rank mission I'm gonna put my foot up Tsunade's a-"

Sakura popped Naruto on the head again, rolling her eyes at how annoying he was being.

"I don't know what type of mission it is, but whether it's an S rank or a D rank you will smile and freaking do it!" Sakura told Naruto, a slight tinge of killing intent beginning to emit from her. "Now shut up, and go get ready!"

Naruto looked up from the floor, rubbing the now second lump on his head grumpily. Naruto reached forward and shut his door loudly as he mumbled curses to himself. He walked away into his apartment to get his gear.

Ten minutes later Naruto returned, walking through the door and locking it. Sakura could see he was wearing his new jacket and Jonin pants she had gotten him. He wore his long black forehead protector on his now cut hair. The sleeves of his jacket were pushed up on his elbows. Both of his hands were taped in Orange athletic tape that ran up his forearms. His right hand was completely covered to help conceal his Yin symbol given to him by the sage of six paths, the fingers on his left hand left uncovered. He had the same orange tape on his shins, holding his pants in place. He wore his old black sandals that were a little old, but matched the outfit perfectly.

"Well look at you! Do I know what looks good on you, or do I know what looks good on you?" Sakura asked happily, looking him up and down with a smile.

Naruto blushed at her compliment. Looking away from her and crossing his arms, Naruto smiled.

"Ya, I know it looks bad ass on me, so let's just go already," Naruto said nervously as he started walking away.

Sakura giggled at his shyness and followed him to the Hokage tower.

-Hokage Tower-

After 20 minutes, Sakura and Naruto made it to the tower. They made their way through the main entrance and up the stairs. They reached the top floor and walked passed Shizune's desk, giving her a hello and wave.

Shizune was ecstatic to see Naruto trying to return to his old life after being a shut-in for so long. She had run into him when he was picking up a mission from Tsunade a couple days ago and went crazy. She was so happy to see Naruto that she bought him a whole month's supply of cup ramen, which he happily accepted. Naruto was beginning to see that his friends didn't hate him for the war. It warmed his heart and helped push him forward even more. He still had doubts, though, being that he hadn't seen all of his friends yet, only Ino and Sakura really so far.

Naruto walked past the desk and grabbed the handle to the large office. Turning and pushing it open gently, he and Sakura walked into the room. They noticed they were the only ones in the room besides Tsunade, who sat at her desk going through papers. She didn't look up from her work to see who had entered.

Naruto marched loudly over to Tsunade's desk as Sakura shut the door behind them. Naruto stopped in front of the wooden desk before he struck his hero pose.

"OY! You rang, Baa-Chan!?" Naruto asked loudly making Tsunade and Sakura wince. "Got a mission for us that's not a freaking D rank!?"

Tsunade looked up from her desk slightly, sending Naruto a glare as Sakura shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"No Naruto, it's not a D rank mission," Tsunade said calmly. "Now shut up and wait for the rest of your squad for this mission to arrive!"

Naruto looked at her confused as he glanced at Sakura next to him and back to Tsunade.

"It's not just Sakura-Oneechan and I?" Naruto asked, throwing a thumb in Sakura's direction.

Tsunade was about to respond, but was stopped as the office door opened. Naruto and Sakura turned to see who was entering as Tsunade looked between them. Three people strolled into the office, stopping when they saw Naruto and Sakura. All three grew wide eyes at seeing Naruto.

"Actually, Naruto... here they are," Tsunade said from behind Naruto and Sakura.  
Sakura beamed and ran up to the three Ninja.

"Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, you guys are our teammates for this mission!?" Sakura asked, excitement obvious in her voice.

"It would seem that way, Sakura…" Shikamaru said lazily, as he turned to look back at Naruto.

Naruto stared back at the three people who were looking at him. He felt uncomfortable under their gaze and shifted awkwardly in place, waiting for them to say what he knew was coming.

"NARUTO!" Choji yelled, running up to Naruto and giving him a large hug.

Choji lifted Naruto off of his feet and shook him left and right, causing Naruto's head to flail crazily.

"It's so good to see you, pal! Ino told us you were out and about again, but it's different actually seeing you in person!" Choji said happily, setting Naruto back onto his feet.

Naruto put his hand on his back and pushed forward, causing it to pop several times loudly. Choji's hugs could cripple a man if he squeezed hard enough. Naruto looked towards Choji and put on a fake smile for him. Naruto was still not comfortable with his old friends yet.

"It's good to see you too, Choji…" Naruto said quietly.

Shikamaru walked up to Naruto, stopping next to Choji. He studied Naruto closely, but not obviously. He noticed his new outfit and look. He noticed how flat his eyes looked compared to how bright they usually were. He noticed how his energy was different… he wasn't as sure of himself as he used to be. He looked like Naruto…But he didn't hold himself like Naruto.  
Shikamaru blinked, dropping his critical thoughts and bringing a half smile to his face. He raised his hand up, gesturing for a handshake.

"Good to see you Naruto. We missed you out in the real world," Shikamaru said as Naruto reached forward and shook his hand happily.

"Good to see you too, bud!" Naruto said with a wide genuine smile, not having to fake his enthusiasm.

Naruto and Shikamaru had always gotten along ever since they were kids. Naruto has great respect for Shikamaru's knowledge and brilliance both on and off the battle field. Naruto always thought that if he could change one thing about himself, he would wish he had Shika's brains. He saw Shikamaru as a great friend. Sasuke would always be Naruto's best friend, but if he had to choose a new one besides Sakura... it would be Shikamaru.

Shikamaru had very similar thoughts towards Naruto. He was impressed with his usual high energy and personality. Shikamaru was brilliant, but on the battle field he would say without a doubt in his mind that Naruto was a better Ninja. He respected Naruto and saw him as someone he could follow anywhere. Shikamaru would never admit it… but Naruto was his role model.

Naruto let go of Shikamaru's hand and laughed slightly.

"Ya, Ino said that you guys would talk about me all the time, haha." Naruto said, pointing his thumb over towards the blond female.

Shikamaru looked over his shoulder towards Ino, raising his eyebrow and giving her a confused look. She hadn't moved from where they stopped when they entered the room. She had a large pink blush on her face, and her eyes were as wide as dinner plates. She was looking at Naruto like he was the most brilliant thing she had ever seen in her life. Shikamaru was thrown off.

'_What's with her?'_ Shikamaru thought lazily.

Ino continued to stare at Naruto as her mind ran wild. She kept a calm face besides her massive blush.

'_YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS! OH MY GOD YESSSSS! A MISSION WITH NARUTO!" Ino hollered in joy internally, as her inner self did a frolicking dance. "I have been waiting for this ever since he got reinstated! This is the best day ever! Look at him! His new outfit…..he looks so ….HOT! I could just…..just…..'_

Ino was shaken from her inner joy and ogling when a pair of fingers began snapping in front of her face. Ino blinked and looked away from Naruto to see it was Sakura. She had a sly look on her face, knowing exactly what Ino had been thinking.

"You're drooling you know." Sakura said sweetly, poking Ino in the side playfully.

Ino grew even redder as she wiped the side of her mouth quickly.

"Can it, Billboard Brow!" Ino said, flustered, as she marched away from Sakura over to Choji and Shikamaru.

Sakura hummed to herself sweetly, placing her hands behind her back and intertwining her fingers. She strolled after Ino towards the Hokage desk, stopping next to the group.  
Naruto turned away from his friends and towards Tsunade, giving her a wide grin with excitement.

"OK, if these guys are going, this MUST be a good mission!" Naruto declared pointing over his shoulder towards the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. "So what do you have in mind, Baa-Chan!?" he asked, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

Tsunade sighed at his enthusiasm, secretly thinking how much she had missed this side of Naruto.

"Can't tell you yet, Naruto. We are still missing the last member." Tsunade said blandly, leaning forward and placing her chin in her palm.

Naruto blinked, wondering who the hell they could possibly be waiting for. They already had a five man team… who were they missing? The Door once again opened behind the group. Turning, they all watched the last member of their squad enter the room.

'_Oh… You have got to be fucking kidding me!'_ Ino thought in an angry hiss, watching as the man who just entered closed the door and walked forward.

"Sai? ... So you're our last member, eh!?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sai stopped just in front of the group of fellow Ninja, sending a forced smile with closed eyes to each one of them. He tried to ignore the hate filled glare Ino was sending his way.

"Ah! Dickless, it's so nice to see you not being a complete loser anymore." Sai said happily, never breaking his smile from his face.

Naruto twitched in anger, sending out a hateful growl towards his teammate. Sakura tried to stifle a laugh at the interaction, placing a hand over her mouth and turning away. Naruto flicked his attention towards Sakura, giving her a glare.

"Ahem," Tsunade cleared her throat.

The group turned their attention away from Sai and back to Tsunade who had a look of disinterest. Placing both elbows on the desk and folding her hands in front of her mouth, she looked at the group.

"Now that you all are here, I can begin," Tsunade said flatly.

Naruto grew an excited smile, wishing for something super cool like an assassination or a search and rescue! He began rubbing his hands together again, snickering in anticipation. The rest of the group looked at him with judgmental looks except for Ino, who smiled sweetly at his antics.

"This is an A rank guard duty mission," Tsunade informed, causing Naruto to get even more excited.

"Who are we guarding that it requires A-rank security?" Shikamaru asked with a raised brow, crossing his arms over his chest.

Tsunade reached forward and lifted a piece of paper off of her desk. Flipping it over so the others could see, it showed a picture of a middle aged man. He wore large round glasses with deep black eyes. He was completely bald, but made up for with his large bushy black eyebrows. He was a large-figured man, sporting 2 chins and a round gut. He was dressed in formal robes in the picture, meaning he was of high status.

The group studied the picture thoroughly before turning back to Tsunade and waiting for her to continue.

"The client is Hiro Matsuni, a very wealthy arms dealer who specializes in the craftsmanship of swords. He is known the world over for his ability to make and distribute swords so strong and reliable that they are known to shatter the opponent's blade. Many of the legendary swordsmen used custom blades made by Hiro," Tsunade said calmly.

Tsunade leaned forward and placed a second photo next to the previous picture. It held the image of a large compound with high walls surrounding a large building. The image was slightly blurry, meaning it was obviously taken on a scouting mission several years prior.

"This is his home located in the land of rain, just past the border. As you can see, it's a fairly large home with high walls and 24 hour security as well. This is where he makes his weapons and also raises his young daughter, Molly Matsuni." Tsunade informed, while crossing her arms.

Shikamaru studied the two photos closely, contemplating the pictures and information. He looked away from the photos and gave Tsunade a lazy look.  
"Why would he need our help? Like you said, he has a fortified home and security to watch the corners." Shikamaru stated lazily. "What happened?"

Tsunade closed her eyes and scoffed at his question. Shikamaru had always been very observant.

"A couple days ago, he was attacked by an unknown enemy. The attackers were able to get through his defenses and slaughter ninety percent of his guards. The guards were able to repel the attackers, but as you can imagine, were left badly beaten. With the little protection Hiro now has, he sent an emergency request to us last night asking for us to protect him and his daughter. So that's why we have gathered two full squads for this mission. Your jobs are to protect Hiro and his daughter while finding and neutralizing this enemy. These are times of peace… We won't tolerate hostility," Tsunade informed in a commanding tone.

The group of ninja looked at each other with smirks of excitement on their faces. They all enjoyed a challenge and going up against an unknown enemy sounded fascinating. Naruto looked at Tsunade with a huge grin as he placed a closed fist over his chest.

"We accept, Baa-Chan!" Naruto hollered, while his friends all nodded in agreement. "No one will lay a finger on Hiro!"

"Good!" Tsunade said firmly, giving Naruto a slight smile. "Shikamaru you are in charge of this mission; handle it as you see fit."

Tsunade handed him a scroll holding the mission Intel.

"Yes, ma'am," Shikamaru said lazily, pocketing the scroll.

Shikamaru turned to look at the five ninja in front of him with a laid back gaze.

"Meet at the gate in one hour!" He stated confidently.

"Yes, Sir!" The group said in unison, besides Naruto who just nodded.

All six turned to head for the door, needing to head home and pack for the trip. They were all quietly shuffling to the door when Tsunade's voice rang out.

"Naruto…" Tsunade said softly, causing the group to stop and look at her once again, curious as to what she wanted with the blond.

"Are you ready for this?" Tsunade asked, looking straight into the muted blue eyes of Naruto.

Naruto looked over his shoulder with a confident look to his features. He nodded back at her, also not breaking eye contact. Tsunade smiled, and waved her hand for him to leave.

"Then go…" she said in a whisper, while a concerned look glistened in her eyes.

Naruto turned his attention forward and followed the group out the door as it shut behind him. Once the door was closed he stood on the opposite side facing the hall, watching as his friends walked away to gather their materials. A dull, shallow look clouded his eyes…..a look of sadness….and of slight fear.

"We will see, Baa-Chan….." Naruto whispered, starting to walk towards home. "…..We will see….."

-Konoha Front Gate - One Hour Later-

The newly rebuilt front gate stood towering over the small buildings at the front of the village. It cast a large shadow over the entrance, stretching one hundred yards above the ground. It provided a cooling relief from the piercing warm sun that lingered in the afternoon sky. Villagers and ninja alike walked through the gate, heading to their destinations at a leisurely pace. Kids played games in the large concrete and stone town square that lay at the entrance to the village. It was a welcoming image to travelers who were stopping by the village.

Shikamaru, Choji, and Naruto stood next to the large wooden door of the gate, talking quietly. Sakura and Ino leaned against the wooden door chatting about little things as they waited for the last member of their squad to arrive. It was a nice day in the village, so they almost didn't mind that they had to wait.

Ino and Sakura broke from their conversation as Sai had finally arrived. He wore his usual large fake smile that he put on when he was in any social situation. He walked up to the females, catching the attention of Naruto, who stopped talking with Choji.

"What took you so long, Sai?" Sakura asked in an annoyed tone, jabbing him in the chest with her finger. "You know we have to move quickly on this mission!"

"Sorry Sakura-San, I was just lost in thought." Sai said calmly, turning to look at Ino.

"Hello Ino-Chan, I hope we will able to get along on this mission." Sai said in a slight happy tone, which Sakura knew was faked.

Ino huffed and turned her attention to the sky, walking off with a stomp in her step past Naruto's group and out the village gate. Naruto watched her walk by, curious as to what that was all about. From what he recalled… didn't Ino like Sai?

Sakura gave a slight frown towards Ino, who was still marching off into the forest heatedly. Pressing her hands on the gate she was leaning on, Sakura pushed off and followed Ino with concern. Sai just hummed obliviously to himself as he also followed the lead of Ino.

"So…..I guess we are leaving?" Choji said, a sweat drop forming on his head.

"I guess so…" Shikamaru said lazily, watching Ino stomp off out of sight.

Shikamaru, Choji, and Naruto walked out of the village and headed off into the forest to catch up with the rest of the group.

Taking to the trees, the group traveled quietly through the forest. The whistle of the wind through the dense trees and the soft taps of feet landing nimbly on branches were the only sounds heard. Sai was at the front, with Sakura and Shikamaru side by side behind him. Choji and Ino were behind them, with Naruto taking up the rear. The group traveled quickly with no one talking for the next several hours. Wanting to make it to their destination before nightfall on a usual full day's trip, the group dashed through the trees in a blur. They were making good time and would arrive at Hiro's home within the hour.

Everyone seemed to be either lost in thought or enjoying the scenery of the forest that passed by. Everyone, that is, except for Ino, who was currently sending death glares at the back of Sai's head as she jumped alongside Choji. She was mumbling curses under her breath and her fists were clenched at her side. Naruto had been watching her do this for the past four hours on their trip and his curiosity was finally getting the best of him. With a soft whistle to grabs Choji's attention, the large man looked over his shoulder. Naruto gestured for him to come closer so Choji slowed his pace to move alongside Naruto. Ino didn't even notice the absence of the large man as she kept her death gaze upon Sai, grumbling menacingly.

"What's up?" Choji asked curiously with a raised brow, moving through the trees alongside Naruto.

Naruto glanced back at Ino to make sure she wasn't paying attention before turning to look at Choji.

"Do you happen to know why Ino is emitting a killing intent fit for a demon towards Sai?" Naruto asked in a whisper, his hand cuffed over his mouth to help keep Ino from hearing. "I could have sworn she had a thing for him?"

Choji looked at Naruto with a confused look before looking back towards Ino for a second. Turning to face Naruto again Choji scrunched his brows together.

"What do you mean? Haven't you heard about what happened?" Choji asked also in a whisper, glancing towards Ino occasionally to make sure she was oblivious to the conversation. "Well I mean… no one knows what really happened… but….."

"Uhhhhh….No…..What happened?" Naruto's curiosity was full blown itching at his mind.

Choji slowed down and flipped through the air to avoid a large branch in his path. Grasping a smaller branch and swinging himself forward to gather momentum, he caught up with Naruto.

"Ino and Sai were going out for like four months," Choji said quietly, watching as Naruto's eyes grew wide with shock. "Up until about two months ago, when they had a really bad break up. She won't tell anyone what happened and getting information from Sai is impossible."

Naruto turned to look at Ino jumping in front of him elegantly. Her purple squirt and hair was flapping in the breeze behind her, creating a slight ruffling sound. Naruto studied the back of her head briefly before turning his attention back to Choji.

"What do you think happened with them?" Naruto asked, glancing between Ino and Sai.  
Choji shrugged with a relaxed demeanor.

"I have no idea…..All I know is Ino was really beaten up about it for a while. She cried a lot and said he was the biggest dick ever…. She seems to have gotten better, but instead of crying, she just shows pure rage towards the guy," Choji informed, while looking at Naruto.

"Wow….. What the hell did he do…?" Naruto asked quietly, a slight tinge of concern reaching his tone.

Choji shrugged again, leaping forward and increasing his pace to once again travel alongside Ino. Naruto watched him speed away before turning to look at the girl next to him. Naruto scrunched his brows together as he pondered the information, looking between Sai and Ino with calculating eyes.

'_Ino… what the hell did Sai do to make you cry...?'_ Naruto thought sadly.

Naruto pondered all of the different possibilities for the next hour of their travel. From Sai saying something rude to her to just flat out cheating… though Sai wasn't socially keen enough to even talk to girls. Naruto jumped from idea to idea nonstop, never liking a single one he thought up. He glanced at Ino every now and again to see her still glaring at Sai. Naruto would have to give the woman credit… When it came to hating someone… Ino never rested. Naruto was brought from his thoughts by a loud voice towards the front of their little battalion.

"We are here," Shikamaru informed, just as they entered a large clearing that seemed to come out of nowhere in the wilderness.

Naruto and the rest of the squad came to a stop at the far edge of the meadow, jumping down from the trees. The clearing was cast in shadows from the dark sky covered in storm clouds that always occupied the rain country. The large area was bathed in tall grass and wild flowers. There were tall sunflowers coiling along a small dirt path that went through the center of the clearing up to a large cement gate with cast iron doors. The walls were at least thirty feet tall with gashes and burn marks all along the outside, showing off the battle that happened a few nights prior. The group walked through the dirt path single file, enjoying the beauty of the meadow, but cautious of the remnants of the battle.

"Well isn't this a place of mixed feelings…" Shikamaru said casually, skipping from looking at a large flower to a small hole caused by an explosive tag. "Though it doesn't seem that out of place…"

"I agree, I mean Tsunade-Shishou said there was a battle here… but this looks as if there was a small spar instead," Sakura chimed in.

They approached a large iron gate that was painted pitch black and covered in battle scars. There were long silver chains running up the side of the door and into small holes in the wall to allow the doors to open. The door looked as it had been through three wars and back… yet still stood strong.

"Though this guy obviously has a lot of enemies to have this kind of damage to his own front door," Sakura said calmly, taking in the dark visual of battles and bloodshed the door held.

"Ya, well it's not that bad really… I mean the walls are still standing, right?" Naruto asked casually, walking with his hands behind his head. "Honestly, this place looks and feels relaxing!"

The large iron doors began to creak open almost automatically as they approached. Naruto never even had to break stride as he passed by the opening into the large compound. What they saw once passed the metal doors made them all stop in their tracks, looks of horror and disbelief in their eyes.

"W….. What the hell…." Naruto whispered out, his eyes wide and darting in every direction at the destruction. "… Never mind."

The once large building that they had seen in the picture was shattered and burned. There were large holes in the roof and walls, giving an easy view of the rooms that lay inside. Some of the smaller side buildings were completely burned to the ground with piles of burnt wood and furniture being the only remnants. Steel arrows stuck out of the homes' walls as well as all over the ground. Craters scattered the land from obvious explosions and jutsus used from both sides. The air still had a tinge of the chakra that was used days prior, making every breath thick and smoggy. What really caught the group off guard were the stained walls and floor… they were a dark maroon color and reeked of death. Naruto gasped, realizing what it was….it was blood…dried blood was everywhere… This wasn't a battle… this was a massacre.

"M….my god," Ino said quietly, covering her mouth in shock.

"So you must be our saviors." A voice came from the left of the group, making them all turn towards its direction.

A rather fragile man walked out of the guard's booth next to the front gates. He looked to be in his sixties, wearing formal silver and black samurai armor. His hair was gray and receding, reaching almost to the center of his scalp. He had worn and tired eyes and held himself as if he was going to pass out at any given moment. He walked slowly over to Shikamaru, who was currently at the front of their six man group.

'_This guy is a guard!?'_ Naruto thought in surprise, watching the old man closely as he moved towards them. The others were having very similar thoughts.

"Uhh….yes! We have come on behalf of the request that was sent to our village," Shikamaru said firmly, pulling out the scroll given to him by Tsunade and handing to the man.

With a shaky hand, the old guard took the scroll and popped it open with his thumb. After examining it carefully, he coughed and rolled it up. He placed it into a small sack he had slung over his shoulder as he gave the Ninja a wide, tired smile.

"Ah! It's so nice that you are here! Thank you for traveling so quickly, we very much needed the assistance, as you can see," The old man said quietly, his tone laboring at every word. "My Name is Tora, and I'm the fresh out of retirement Chief Guard of the Matsuni family."

Naruto and Sakura glanced at each other quickly, seeing that they both had similar thoughts.

'_If Tora had to come out of retirement…..then the death toll of the Matsuni family guard really was in the ninetieth percentile like informed…. But what could have done this much damage?'_ Sakura thought to herself quietly.

"Why are you out of retirement?" Sai asked, unemotionally. "You seem far too old to be any help."

The group shot daggers at Sai. How he could never pick up on how not to be a dick to people was a mystery to all.

"HAHAHA! Right you are, boy! Though please, hold all your questions for Sir Hiro. I'm sure he can answer all of them," Tora said happily, as if he wasn't affected by the smell of death that lurked in the air.

"Uhh… well, can you please take us to Hiro? We need to speak with him immediately." Shikamaru said nervously, shaken a bit from the elderly man's unnaturally joyful demeanor.

"Yes, of course! Follow me, please, he should be in his study," Tora said happily.

Tora twirled on his heel and began making his way further into the compound. He walked with a slow pace, as if he would break if he moved too quickly. Naruto and the others followed Tora through the battle-scarred courtyard and towards a building that was surprisingly untouched among the destruction. It was a smaller building, having to be no larger than a barn or shed. Tora slid the sliding door to the side and gestured for them to follow.

When they got inside, they realized there was nothing in the room at all. Nothing but old white walls and a painting on the far wall of a samurai hold his sword out forward. Naruto was about to speak up in confusion when Tora activate a hand sign and the ground began to shake. The floor swirled and collapsed downwards in a spiraling manner. It shifted and creaked from the movement until finally stopping to reveal hidden stairs. The staircase was in the center of the room and seemed to go on far past the realm natural light could reach. Tora walked over and started to descend the spiraling staircase, as the rest followed.

"This place is a hidden bunker." Naruto whispered over his right shoulder. Ino and Sakura nodded, following along behind him.

The group traveled down the concrete stairs for what seemed like forever as it became darker and darker. Sakura placed her hand on Naruto's shoulder to keep herself from missing a step and tumbling forward. Ino did the same on Naruto's other shoulder. The group finally made it to the ground level where a long hall was bathed in pitch black darkness traveled away from their sight.

(Clap) (Clap)

Tora clapped his hands together twice and the hallway burst into light. Hidden torches flickered to life along the hallway walls to brighten their journey. Now able to focus their eyes, they could see the hallway ran some fifty yards to a large door that was at the end of the passage.

"Please, right this way," Tora said excitedly, walking forward and down the hall.

Naruto and the rest followed to the large wooden door. It held no distinguishing markings on its surface, not even a handle, but a trained eye could see that it was sealed.

"Release!" Tora announced, as he placed his hand on the door, his fingers spread.

Blue chakra glowed around the door for a brief second before dissipating with a hiss. The door began to slide open with a loud screech, allowing the torched lit hallway to be engulfed in bright light from the large chamber. Making their way into the room, they could see the massive workshop that was the bunker.

The large room had tall, plain concrete walls with a red bricked floor. There was a single workmen's bench in the center of the room with a sword currently being forged on it. The entire left side of the room was piled high with bags and sacks of materials and metals of all sorts. The opposite right wall was completely covered in a large bookcase that reached the ceiling. It contained large scrolls and books ranging from the size of a notebook to as large as a T.V. box. These were more than likely all of his prized notes and information on building his world class swords. On the far back wall was a single lounge chair placed up against the wall. There was a small table placed next to the chair, with a lamp placed upon it, illuminating the figure sitting in the chair.

Hiro smiled.

"AH! You have arrived, my hidden leaf saviors!" Hiro shouted loudly, a wide smile gracing his face. "Please come in!"

Hiro jumped up from his seat and met them all with a firm handshake. He looked tired and worn down. It was obvious that the recent attack on his home left him shaken. He had bags under his eyes similar to Naruto's, showing he had not slept in awhile.

"Thank you all for coming so quickly! If they decided to attack again before you arrived… I'm afraid they would have succeeded with their mission."

"Uh… Sir, we actually have a few questions for you on that matter, actually," Shikamaru said confidently, studying the man in front of him carefully.

"Yes, of course, my boy! What is it that you need to know?" Hiro asked loudly as he walked back to his seat and flopped down tiredly.

The group walked closer to his chair and took a formal kneeling position on the floor mats that were provided to guests.

"First off, Hiro-San… who were these people that attacked you? In your request, you didn't list who we would be defending you against," Shikamaru asked confidently, watching Hiro closely to see if he would show the indications of a lie.

"I left the affiliation of the enemy out of the report because… well… we have no idea who they were! They came in the middle of the night and always stayed hidden in the shadows." Hiro said nervously, rubbing his hands together to stay calm.

'_He's telling the truth,'_ Shikamaru thought, watching the man squirm in his seat.

"How many do you feel their where?" Sai decided to join in.

"Once again, I'm sorry… we don't know… they seemed to come from everywhere. Arrows pouring from the sky like rain. There were explosions and fire suddenly engulfing my home! They left a huge hole in my daughter's room!….I can only imagine what I would do if she had been hurt in the attack," Hiro said quietly, a ting of sorrow in his voice.

(Mind) "Arrows and fire, huh…" Shikamaru pondered to himself. "So we have at least a couple high level archers and a fire affinity user."

"Hiro…" Shikamaru said firmly, getting the man to look at him from his squirming. "What were they after? Why did they attack you?" Shikamaru watched as Hiro's left thumb twitched.

"We believe it was for my sacred notes that are beside you on my bookshelf. Those notes hold the many secrets to my swords. With those notes, someone could build an army of perfect weaponry."

Shikamaru noticed how Hiro's left thumb kept twitching as he spoke, his eyes dilating. Shikamaru furrowed his brow at the man.

'_He seems nervous… Is he hiding something…?_' Shikamaru thought in an intrigued tone.  
Shikamaru opened his mouth to confront the man on his bluff, but was interrupted by a loud voice from behind him.

"Well, don't you worry, old man! We will keep your secrets safe and put these jackasses in the dirt!" Naruto yelled loudly, giving a goofy grin and thumbs up to Hiro.

The rest of the squad sweat-dropped at his actions.

'_Idiot…'_ they all thought.

Shikamaru sighed in annoyance at Naruto always being so loud.

'_Forget it…' _Shikamaru thought in a sigh, rubbing his temples, turning back to face Hiro, Shikamaru refocused his thoughts.

"How do we even know that these people will come back? They could have just given up and went home, making our trip out here a complete bother." Shikamaru stated lazily, letting his eyes drop half closed as to the thought of wasting a perfect day on a useless mission.

Hiro straitened in his chair and changing his face from worry…to seriousness.

"No… they will come back... After they attacked the first time I sent two scouting units to check the surrounding area and see if we were in the clear…" Hiro said quietly, pausing to gulp a dry breath. "Not one of those teams came back… They're out there… and they will attack us again soon."

Shikamaru looked at the man in concentration before turning his head to look over his shoulder. His friends look at him with confidence and poise. Naruto had a stern look of confidence on his face. Shikamaru turned back to Hiro with a smirk.

"Then we will be ready," shikimaru said confidently.

Hiro smiled wide with new found hope.

"I have one last request…" Hiro said with a confident tone. "My daughter…Molly… she's everything to me. I would very much appreciate it if you would have one of your friends be her personal guard until this mess is over… If anything happened to her… I don't know what I would do with myself."

Shikamaru nodded towards the man in understanding. Turning, Shikamaru looked over his shoulder to think of who would be perfect for the job. He studied each one's abilities carefully before he made his decision.

"Naruto… you'll defend the girl. With your ability to heal and protect others with your chakra….you'll be best suited to keep Molly safe." Shikamaru informed in a serious tone.

Naruto smiled and nodded at the order.

"Cool! I love kids!" Naruto said excitedly. "You can count on me, Old Man!"

Hiro was put off at the nickname and showed he slightly disagreed with the decision. This young man in front of him looked of sadness but spoke in happiness… it was confusing.

"I…..don't..." Hiro began to speak but was cut off.

"Don't worry Hiro-San. Naruto is our very best, if he can't defend Molly…then no one could." Ino said sweetly, putting on a big smile.

Everyone looked at Ino with wide eyes and dumbfounded looks except Sakura, who gave Ino a sly smile, and Sai, who acted oblivious.

'_Did she just compliment Naruto!?_' Shikamaru and Choji thought simultaneously, continuing to stare at Ino._ 'Ino doesn't compliment ANYONE!'_ they thought again.

Naruto looked at Ino with a slightly open mouth and disk-sized eyes.

'_Ino just complimented me….. Since when the hell did she compliment me!?' _Naruto thought to himself.

Ino turned to look at Naruto, who was giving her a strange look. She blushed slightly at the attention and turned her face away in an embarrassed pout.

"S… stop staring at me idiot!" Ino said quietly, crossing her arms and huffing.

The group slowly turned their attention back to Hiro with open mouths and shock stricken expressions. Hiro smiled at the girl's words and nodded in understanding.

"Alright… if what you say is true… Naruto may keep watch over my baby girl.

Naruto gave a bright smile and bowed his head slightly.

"I won't let you down, sir." Naruto said in a happy tone, closing his eyes to hide his true emotions.

'_Hopefully…_' Naruto thought nervously, trying to keep the others from seeing through his smile.

Ino noticed the slight uneasiness in Naruto's posture and gave a slight frown. She leaned in closely next to Naruto's ear, keeping her eyes on Hiro.

"You will do fine Naruto." Ino said sweetly, before leaning back to sit upright on her floor cushion.

Naruto glanced out of the corner of his eye questionably, focusing on Ino's face as she looked away from him with a smile.

'_Did she see through my act? But… How? No one has ever seen through it before!_' Naruto thought in a whisper.

Ino looked out of the left corner of her eye at Naruto, watching him look at her baffled. She let out a slight giggle and winked. Naruto blushed and recoiled in shock. He looked back at Hiro quickly, causing his hair to shake slightly. A bright pink tint was on his face from being caught staring for the second time. Ino blushed a little as well, also turning her eyes back to Hiro and Shikamaru talking about whatever.

'_Idiot,'_ she thought sweetly.

"Alright, let's get you all to your sleeping quarters," Hiro said calmly as he stood up from his chair. "Please follow Tora and myself into the main house to show you where you all will be staying."

The group nodded and followed the two men out of the bunker and up and outside. The sun was beginning to set behind the famous storm clouds of rain country, casting the land in dark purples and oranges, reflecting off windows and walls. The air was damp with humidity, making it feel very calming despite the destruction all around.

They continued into the main house, gathering into the large main hall just past the entrance to the home. The room was round in shape with two large staircases that were located on each side of the room, heading in different directions in the large home. A large chandelier that sparkled as if it were made of diamonds hung from the high ceiling in the middle of the entrance hall. There was one doorway that was currently open with the wooden doors pushed against the wall. The doorway sat in between the two staircases on the far opposite side of the room from the main entrance.

Hiro walked the group into the center of the large entrance hall and stopped abruptly. Turning his body to face his guests he cleared his throat with a clenched fist over his mouth.

"Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Sakura, and Sai, please follow me up the left staircase where the guest rooms are located. Naruto… I'm afraid you will be separated from your friends… You will be staying on the far opposite end of my home." Hiro said calmly while looking over the group.

Naruto blinked in confusion at this, jutting out his lower lip and crossing his arms.

"Why the hell am I separated from everyone else!?" Naruto asked loudly, irritation in his voice.

Ino also grew irritated as she as well crossed her arms in annoyance.

'_Ya! Why the hell does he have to be so far away!?'_ Ino yelled to herself angrily.

"My daughter's room is located on the far opposite side of my home….I wish for you to stay with her in her bedroom to keep a close eye on here," Hiro stated in slight annoyance at the boy's yelling.

Naruto calmed down at the reasoning and nodded in understanding. Ino just huffed and looked away, irritated nevertheless. Hiro looked away from the group over to Tora who stood next to him quietly.

"Tora, please escort Naruto to Molly's room and get them introduced."

"Yes, Sir," Tora said enthusiastically, giving a bow towards Hiro slowly.

Hiro turned back to Naruto, who was walking forward towards Tora for him to lead the way.

"Naruto, dinner will be served in one hour… I'll send an attendant to fetch you when it is ready."

Naruto nodded in understanding as he turned to follow the slow-moving Tora up the right flight of stairs, as his friends followed Hiro up the left. Winding around the corner once he was past the stairs, Naruto got a good feel of the atmosphere of the home.

It consisted of long, winding hallways that seemed to go on for miles. There were candles lit every few feet attached to the wall on iron holders. The candles did very little to light the large hallway, barely keeping it out of total darkness. The floor was wooden and old, showing its age with every step letting out a shallow creek. The doorways upon doorways that were closed all had the same off-white color and stale looking wood. The hallway's air was thick and unsettling; Naruto didn't like the feel of this home at all. Gave him the heebie-jeebies.

He traveled behind Tora through the dark hallways for the better part of 5 minutes. Naruto glanced over his shoulder every couple of moments just to make sure a ghost wasn't lurking behind him.

"C…can we get there already….I…I'm getting chills!" Naruto said nervously in a shaky voice, glancing over his shoulder again at the empty hallway.

"HAHA!" Tora laughed loudly, making Naruto flinch at the sudden volume change. "You aren't afraid of ghosts now are you Naruto-San?"

Naruto blinked slowly, thinking of how to respond. Naruto put on a fake confident look as he crossed his arms and jut his chin towards the roof.

"O..of course not! G…ghosts aren't real!" Naruto said in a shaky voice, failing to sound unafraid.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder again quickly, swearing he had just heard a faint giggle.

"T…they aren't real….right?" Naruto asked nervously, turning back to face the back of Tora's head.

Tora smiled to himself slightly, keeping his face forward.

"Oh…I don't know if they are real or not…but that shadowy figure behind you is making me think they are." Tora said in a joking tone.

Naruto screamed loudly like a little girl as he jumped around violently, striking a goofy kung-fu pose. He stared down the barely lit hallway…..it was completely empty. Naruto sweat dropped and grew red with embarrassment and anger. Naruto twirled on his heel quickly.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK, OLD MAN!?" Naruto yelled loudly, shaking his arms about in a comedic manner.

Tora burst into laughter as he watched the boy freak out from over his shoulder, never breaking his pace down the hall.

"HAHA! You're too easy to trick, Naruto-San! Now come along, or you will be left in the dark," Tora said in a happy tone, turning to face the hallway once again.

Naruto's face turned blue at the thought of him being left alone in this place.

'_Fuck that!'_ Naruto thought in complete fear, turning and running quickly to catch up to Tora.

The two men walked through the halls quietly for the next few moments before reaching a small purple door. The door was completely out of the blue from the other white doors. The only feature beside the out of place purple was a metal "M" screwed into the door. Tora walked up to it and gave it a quiet nock.

"Molly-Sama….There is a guest here who would like to meet you." Tora whispered through the door.

Shuffling could be heard from the opposite side of the door. The bolt on the door could be heard clicking as it creaked slightly open. Looking down, a small green eye could be seen peering through the thin crack. At seeing it was Tora, the door swung open completely to revel little Molly.

Naruto looked at her with a sweet smile. She was probably seven years old and was around 4 feet tall. She had shoulder length brown hair and bright green eyes. She wore a simple white dress that reached her knees. There was a pink sash at her waist that was tied in a nice bow on her back. Her right hand was covered in bandages, which threw Naruto off a little.

Kneeling down into a squatting position to be on her eye level, Naruto reached his right hand forward to introduce himself.

"Hey Molly… I'm Naruto. I'll be looking after you for a little while," Naruto said in a soft quiet voice.

Molly studied Naruto for a brief moment without saying a word. She had a calm look to her face, like she didn't have a care in the world. She eventually reached with her bandaged hand to acknowledge the hand shake. When their hands where just about to touch a sudden spark was sent off between them, Causing them both to pull their hands away quickly with a shocked expression.

'_What was that!?... Static electricity? No…. that was some weird chakra… not static,'_ Naruto thought to himself curiously as he re-stood from his crouched position.

Molly put her arm back at her side and turned to walk back into her room. She walked her way over to her toy chest and flopped down in front of it. Naruto looked at her curiously before turning to Tora.

"Quiet one, isn't she?" Naruto asked in a whisper so only he could hear.

"Yes… But not for the lack of speaking….it's more…. Well, you'll find out soon enough." Tora said calmly, as Naruto stood there confused. "Now, I must be going. You will be fetched when dinner is ready, so please just relax and unpack until then."

With that being said Tora turned on his heel heading down the long dark hall once again, leaving Naruto standing at the front of Molly's door. Naruto turned back towards Molly, who was sitting on the floor facing away from him, playing with a doll. Entering the room and closing the door behind him, he looked it over carefully.

The room was a standard 4 wall room with bright pink paint all over the otherwise bland walls. There was a single window placed opposite to the door that looked out into a beautiful flower garden. Naruto turned away to look over the rest of the room. There were two single person beds located on the left and right walls from the door. The left had purple sheets and pillows while the other had pink. The window sat in between the two beds, casting the room in a white glow from the moon. A slowly spinning fan on the ceiling moved the air, making the thick humidity bearable. There was a toy chest underneath the window between the beds where Molly currently sat.

Naruto walked over to the left bed, dropping his backpack down onto it. He sat himself on the side, creating a squeak from the springs of the mattress. He watched Molly play quietly to herself a few feet away. She was bouncing a doll on her hands as if her hands were a trampoline. Naruto smiled at her.

'_Seems like a sweet kid,_' Naruto thought to himself in a calm, relaxed tone.

"Thank you," Molly said in a whisper, never turning away from her doll.

Naruto recoiled from her sudden response, his mouth open and eyes wide.

'_Did…She….NAAAAA! There's no way she read my mind, haha!_' Naruto thought to himself in a chuckle, as he relaxed back into a sitting position on the bed.

"That's exactly what I did" Molly said again, just as quiet as before.

Naruto's eyes were as large as dinner plates as his jaw hit the floor. His mouth opened and closed slowly as he stared at the playing Molly. Naruto jumped to his feet and pointed his finger at the back of her head.

"YOU CAN READ MINDS!?" Naruto yelled loudly, causing Molly to flinch.

Molly turned to look over her shoulder, looking at the bewildered man behind her lazily. She looked at him pointing at her for a few moments before turning to continue playing.

"Yep." Molly said nonchalantly, beginning to hum a tune to herself.

Naruto continued to look at her in awe.

"That's bull! If you can really read my mind… repeat what I'm thinking!" Naruto said in frustration.

"Fine," Molly responded, sounding uninterested.

'_Ramen' _–N

"Ramen"-M

'_Orange'_ –N

"Orange" –M

'… _Super awesome sexy woman!'_ Naruto finally shouted mentally.

"Pervert." Molly said quietly, still not looking at Naruto.

Naruto stared at Molly with a wide open mouth and disk sized eyes. He was completely baffled at what to say…(or think). Naruto grabbed Molly's shoulders, picking her up off the ground and turning her to face him. Molly looked shocked from the sudden movement and being held in the air.

"HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT!?" Naruto yelled in frustration. "Some kind of jutsu!?... Or maybe it's all just a trick!?"

Molly looked at Naruto with half open eyes, still not showing the slightest bit of interest in what was going on. With a quiet sigh, Molly rolled her eyes.

"Put me down and I'll show you." Molly said in an irritated voice.

Naruto promptly put the young girl down back onto her own feet. He sweat-dropped at how he freaked out and patted the girl on the head nervously.

"Ok… how do you do it?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms and studying the girl.

Molly began to unwind the bandages that were located on her right hand. Letting the wraps fall to the floor, Molly opened her now bare hand revealing…a mark…..a tattoo more like it. Naruto leaned in with his hands on his knees to better inspect the marking.

It was a black flower, roughly the size of a quarter, in the middle of her palm. It was…..just like Naruto's Sun Tattoo he got from the sage. Naruto looked at it in awe as Molly spoke up.

"I got this mark on my hand a couple years ago. An old man gave me a high five in the forest when I was out playing….and it's been there ever since. If I put some effort and focus my …chakra is what Daddy calls it…I can read the person's or persons' minds who are around me. It's a weird thing….but I like it." Molly said quietly, looking at her mark as she wiggled her fingers.

Naruto looked from Molly back to his own taped hand quickly, trying to understand what all of this meant.

'_That's….just like my tattoo….and this old man…..did the Sage give her this ability just like he had mine?'_ Naruto thought quickly, a thousand different thoughts running through his head.

Molly reached down and picked up her bandages. She began to rewrap her hand quietly, while Naruto continued to stare at her. Molly finished wrapping her hand and looked up at Naruto with concern in her eyes.

"Do you… think I'm a freak now?" Molly asked quietly, turning her eyes to the floor in front of Naruto and herself.

Naruto blinked in confusion as to why she would ask that. Naruto crouched down again so he was head level with Molly. He looked at her closely, seeing how sad she had suddenly gotten.

"Why would you think I thought you were a freak?" Naruto asked in a whisper.

Molly's eyes began to glisten as tears threatened to fall from her downcast eyes.

"Because when I show other kids I can read their minds….they call me a freak and tell me to get away. I spend all my time in my room because all the other kids who are family of our guards say they hate me….I don't have any friends because of it," Molly whispered in a whimper, trying to hold back her emotions.

Naruto smiled sadly at the girl, knowing all too well how she was feeling. He reached forward and unwrapped his own hand, allowing his orange bandages to fall to the floor. Molly turned her face slightly up to see what Naruto was doing.

"I don't think you're a freak, Molly…I actually think your power is really cool." Naruto said softly, as the last of his bandages fell to the floor. "Because….I'm just like you…"

Naruto opened his clenched hand to revel his quarter sized Sun tattoo. Molly looked at it in awe and glanced back to the smiling Naruto. Her eyes went wide as she studied the simple marking.

"Y…you have one too?" Molly asked quietly as she glanced at her bandaged hand and back to Naruto. "S…so you can read minds too!?"

"HAHA!...No…I can't read minds, Molly….the abilities of my mark are a little different from yours," Naruto said in a soft whisper as he clenched his fist slightly.

Molly looked at Naruto in complete fascination, she had never met someone who was like her. She felt like her whole world just opened up to her.

"What are your mark's abilities, Naruto-Sama?" Molly asked sweetly as she bent down and picked up Naruto's bandages from the floor.

'_Sama… huh?'_ Naruto thought in a sweet whisper, smiling widely at the girl's recognition of him.

"My mark allows for me to heal people who are badly injured….it allows me to protect my friends…and since I'm a ninja, it gives me some cool other perks," Naruto said in a happy tone, gladly taking back his bandages Molly handed to him.

"That's super cool!" Molly said excitedly, sounding happy for the first time since meeting her.  
Naruto began to rewrap his hand and arm as Molly stood in front of him quietly. She had a huge smile on her face and a glint in her eye that had been absent before. She then grew a slight blush on her cheeks and turned her eyes to the floor again. Once he finished wrapping his hand and arm, Naruto looked up and noticed Molly's sudden shyness.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked in concern, allowing his eyes to soften at the young girl.

Molly held her hands behind her back as she moved her left foot in a small circle in front of her. She kept her eyes on the floor, but Naruto could still see the slight blush on her face.

"N…Naruto-Sama…..since we are both alike….will you be my first friend…?" Molly asked sweetly in the way only small children could.

Naruto grew a soft and loving smile on his face, turning his head slightly to the side.

"Well, of course! Us freaks have to stick together, right!?" Naruto said confidently, throwing a thumbs-up her way. "From this moment on, you and I are friends, Molly."

Molly flicked her head upwards quickly and stood like a stiff board. Her face showed complete shock, not expecting Naruto to say yes to her request. Her face slowly relaxed as a huge smile crept to her face. The corner of her eyes glistened with the threat of tears. Molly leapt forward and embraced Naruto, almost knocking him over from his crouched position.

"YAY! My first real friend!" Molly yelled loudly in excitement as she let go of Naruto and began to jump up and down in front of him. "We are going to play dolls, and dress up, and have tea parties, and play hop scotch and…."

Naruto looked at Molly sweetly as she continued to name off all of the things they were going to do together, moving his eyes up and down to keep up with her constant bouncing. He didn't mind at all making this girl happy… If it meant he could save another child from going through his childhood… he'd do anything. Molly was suddenly cut off from her joyous talking from a knock at the door. Swinging the door open, a young woman stood in the doorway wearing a formal maid's uniform.

"Molly-Sama, Naruto-San, I have been told to fetch you for dinner." The maid said politely as she bowed. "Please follow me and I'll escort you to the dining room.

Naruto stood up from his kneeling position next to Molly and nodded to the young woman. He was about to step forward before Molly dashed forward and out the door.

"Come on Naruto-Sama! Dinner will get cold with you moving that slow," Molly mocked from over her shoulder as she disappeared down the dark hallway.

Naruto and the young maid chuckled to themselves as they made their way out of the room.

"Sorry about Molly, Naruto-San…she is usually very quiet. She must be having a really great day to be this happy today," the maid said softly as she continued to walk in front of Naruto.  
"Don't worry about it… She's a sweet kid." Naruto said happily as he walked behind the maid with his hands behind his head.

'_But If Molly has a mark on her hand like mine…Then Sasuke and I weren't the only ones to be given a power by the Sage of Six Paths.'_ Naruto's face fell into complete seriousness. _'The man Molly met in the woods was undoubtedly the Sage… but why did he give a power to Molly? She's just a little girl…not a ninja…..but the better question is…if Molly has a mark….how many more are out there? I thought I was the only one left after Sasuke died.'_

Naruto walked slowly behind the maid through the long dark hallway, dropping his hands at his side as his eyes focused.

'_Whatever this all means….it's definitely….going to be interesting… ill have to ask Molly some questions later'_

Naruto let the deep questions fall from his mind for the moment as he put his smile back on and cleared his mind on his way to dinner.

END CHAPTER 5


	7. Chapter 6 The Smell of Rain

(AN: So after talking to a fan of the story, I'm going to switch up how I show mental thoughts. When a character is thinking, instead of the usual (Mind) at the front, they are going to be in sing quotes and indented. For example, _'blah blah blah.'_ I know I usually use this format when I do flashbacks but don't worry, I will indicate a flashback with a line breaking header so there will be no confusion. During flashbacks, thoughts will still be indicated with single quotes, so just be aware of this change. I hope this makes the story flow smoother!)

Chapter 6

The Smell of Rain…

-2 days later - Land of Trees-

A young man dashed through the harsh bending and twisting of the large trees that covered the landscape. His pace was quick, his breath ragged, and he was badly injured. His left arm was in front of his face to protect him from the tree branches that assaulted and swept past him in waves. His right arm hung limply at his side, broken, as he jumped from tree to tree. He was bleeding from cuts and scrapes he had obtained from the harsh terrain and the wicked attackers who were pursuing him.

The young man's name was Kuya Honra; he was dressed in very casual clothing. A cut and bloody blue collar shirt and black jeans draped his beaten body. He had been wearing flip flops in the nice warm air, but during his chase, they had fallen from his feet and left forgotten somewhere in the forest. His hair was a shiny black and draped his face with its grown-out cut. He had a prickly face from being unshaven for a couple days, signifying he was in his mid-twenties. His eyes were dark and squinted, showing internal pain and sorrow that had been bottled up over years and years. The most interesting choice of his attire was the black leather glove he wore over his left hand… It just seemed out of place, being that he didn't wear one on his right. Kuya growled to himself in pain as he pressed on through the trees.

The moon that illuminated the sky hung lonely in the air, casting the dense forest in shadows and darkness. It was hard to see what was in front of him through the thick trees, and the fact it was the middle of the night didn't help. The man could hear his attackers approaching behind him quickly… it terrified him. What did they want with him? Why did they suddenly attack him on his way home from the nearest village? Who… were these people?

All these thoughts and his pumping adrenaline rushed through his mind and body. He rushed through another onslaught of dense trees, but he made a fatal mistake… he slipped. His foot skidded off the side of the branch he had chosen to land on, making him tumble and crash through the tree branches. He cracked and smashed against them on his way down before finally smacking hard against the cold and dirty forest floor. He rolled his beaten and broken body to his back in an attempt to run once again, but was too late. Three figures cloaked in the darkness of the night landed around the man, encircling him as they stood motionless and silent.

Kuya was able to lift his broken body and lean his back against the tree from which he had just fallen. He sat on the floor with his legs outstretched and his left arm caressing his broken right. His breath was even more ragged, the fear of rupturing one of his lungs from the fall in his mind. He glared at his pursuers before he finally gathered the nerve to speak.

"W… (Cough) ….. Who are you people? … What the HELL DO YOU WANT!?" Kuya yelled through his blood soaked mouth, anger as well as disparity written on his face.

One of the figures stepped out of the shadows and into the scattered moonlight shining through the trees. He stopped just a few feet from Kuya, giving him a good look at one of his attackers.

The man was well built and toned. He had tan skin and he wore a black headband on his forehead. Kuya was shocked to see that the plate was blank… it held no symbol to represent where these people had come from. The man's head was shaven with a bright red Mohawk going down the middle of his scalp. He wore a plain black ninja vest, but Kuya had never seen the style before… it was from a nation he didn't know. The man wore black Jonin pants and the usual ninja equipment strapped to his sides and leg. He wore combat boots instead of the usual ninja sandals that the five nations usually wore in their military uniforms. Kuya was frightened even further after taking in the man's apparel. If he couldn't recognize the ninja's affiliation….then that left an even sicker feeling in his stomach.

'_These guys… are mercenaries…' _Kuya thought in a cold and scared tone.

The man in front of Kuya spoke calmly, yet there was a tinge if malice in his voice.

"Oh where are our manners? My name is Jurobii and the two behind me are Mikio and Akumi," Jurobii said flatly, as he gestured over his shoulder at the two dark figures behind him.

The two men stepped out of the shadows to join Jurobii in the moon light. Kuya studied the two other ninja just as closely as he had done Jurobii.

The one he gestured to known as Mikio had short, spiky hair that was the same red color as Jurobii's Mohawk. He wore the exact same ninja attire, except that he wore his headband around his neck. He wore metal forearm protectors similar to the Anbu black ops as well as shin protectors. He had bright blue eyes and a tattoo on his neck that was the kanji for "Dream". He looked to be a late teenager, no more than 20 at the latest.

The other, known as Akumi, had long black hair that was tied in a low ponytail similar to the late Neji Hyuuga. This man didn't wear the ninja attire the other two had. He wore a skimpy blue compression shirt that was sleeveless and showed off his toned upper body. His arms were bare except for the black athletic tape he had wrapped around his hands. His blank headband was on his forehead just like Jurobii; only it was blue to match his shirt. He wore white Jonin pants with the usual equipment, black athletic tape holding them in place. His shoes were also blue, just like his headband and shirt. Akumi had a tattoo on the side of his neck of the Kanji "Dream" as well. His eyes were black, just like Jurobii's, and showed no emotion. This man was in his thirties by the look of him.

Kuya looked back to Jurobii with malice in his eyes.

"What do you fuckers want with me!?" Kuya asked in anger, as he let go of his right arm and flipped the bird with his left.

The three men smiled darkly at Kuya, as Jurobii stepped closer.

"We don't have any business with you, Kuya Honra… but we do need that power you possess… so why don't you just surrender and we will try to keep from breaking any more of your bones," Jurobii said flatly, as Akumi and Mikio smiled darkly behind him.

Kuya growled angrily at the men, trying to hold back his hacks from the blood that stung his throat. He glanced down at his gloved hand quickly before returning his gaze to Jurobii.

"Power? ... I have no idea what you're talking about, you stupid bastard." Kuya said in a wheeze, his ruptured lung was beginning to take its toll on his breathing.

"Oh please," Mikio said in a scoff. "We know all about you, Miru Hito of sin."

Kuya scrunched his eyes and focused his gaze upon Mikio. He was beginning to fade fast. The blood loss was making his vision blurry.

"What's a (Cough)… What's a Miru Hito?" Kuya asked in a raspy whisper, a single drop of blood running from the corner of his mouth.

Jurobii crossed his arms and the sides of his mouth gave a slight curl upwards. He questioned himself if he should even bother answering the little shit's question.

"It's what you are… You're the Miru Hito of Sin, one of the Six Paths of the Great Sage," Jurobii said in a darkly calm tone. "We also know of your power… or should we say curse, in your case."

Kuya bared his teeth and growled at Jurobii in hate. He didn't understand all of what he was saying, but he did know that these people were absolutely insane… and there was only one way out of this. With carful movements, Kuya began to twitch and move his fingers slowly. His glove began to crinkle and remove from his left hand, he focused on the task as Jurobii continued his annoying monolog.

"The power of Sin… What an interesting ability… With a single touch from your marked hand, you are able to kill anything or anyone… instantly. Quite a useful little tactic, if I do say so myself. Though, in the hands of a non-shinobi like you… I'm sure it's not very useful, huh?" Jurobii asked in a comical tone.

Kuya didn't answer his question, rather choosing to send him another blood soaked glare as he worked on slowly getting off his glove. With a last little wiggle from his pinky…the glove was removed. Kuya balled his fist at his side, reading himself to strike and hopefully flee once more.

"(Cough)… Well, well, well… Don't you have all the answers," Kuya said in a mocking tone, building himself up to make his move. "This little "Power of Sin," as you call it, is a real pain in the ass sometimes (Cough)… but you wouldn't know anything about that now, would you?

"But… since you seem to be such a huge fan of it…" Kuya whispered quietly, as he lunged forward with all of his remaining strength, stretching his Sin marked hand out in front of him. "WHY DON'T I JUST SHOW YOU MY CURSE PERSONALLY!?"

Kuya's left arm was stretched out fully in front of his body. The Sin mark on his palm glowed with the flow of Chakra in the dimly lit forest. Jurobii seemed unfazed by the sudden attack, and still stood casually with his arms crossed and in uninterested look upon his face. He looked at the glowing Tattoo that was on Kuya's palm a few inches away from him, completely uncaring of the potential threat of instantly ending his life with its touch. He studied the Sin mark quickly.

The mark was a glowing purple with the help of the chakra that flowed into it. The symbol was the size of a coin, with the tattoo itself being the Hell-worshiping pentagram.

'_Fitting symbol for the Miru Hito of Sin_,' Jurobii thought as he smiled darkly.

His death grew closer, but yet he still stood motionless. From the corner of his eye, Jurobii saw Akumi throw something with deadly speed.

Kuya was a mere inch away from touching Jurobii's chest when he felt a sudden sharp pain pierce his palm and send it reeling backwards. Kuya's hand flew back and smashed against the tree behind him, pinned to the trunk. Blood splattered onto Kuya's cheek with the impact as he screamed out in pain.

'_W… what the fuck!?' _Kuya thought in shock as he looked up at his pinned hand.

Kuya's eyes grew wide upon realizing a kunai knife was the object that pierced his hand and held it above him. Kuya's breath caught in his throat as the blood from his hand dripped down his wrist and arm, drenching his already battle-scarred clothes. Kuya's eyes were wide with despair as he began to struggle to free his hand.

'_Nononono! ... I won't lose!' _Kuya thought to himself in horror, pain filling his every pore as he tried to yank his hand free from the knife….but to no avail.

"How pathetic," Akumi said nonchalantly as he slowly walked over to the terrified Kuya.

Kuya was facing away from the three men as he struggled to free his hand, oblivious to the approaching threat. Akumi walked up silently behind Kuya, raising his arm to strike. With a swift blow to the back of his neck, Kuya's body went limp as it slumped against the tree. Kuya was knocked unconscious.

"Annoying little bastard…" Akumi said quietly as he turned away from Kuya's limp body. "You're very lucky I decided to save you, Jurobii… You would be dead if it wasn't for me."

"Ha! Like I needed your help, Akumi," Jurobii snarled in protest as he walked over to the body.

"Oh, will you two just shut the hell up and grab the freak so we can go home?" Mikio said flatly, as he wiggled his pinky inside his left ear lazily. "I'm tired, and that fucker made us chase him for miles!"

"Yes… Well… We are lucky we didn't have to put much effort into catching this Miru Hito. If Kira and Haru have just as easy of a task as ours, the gathering of the Six Powers will be quicker than expected."

Jurobii rolled his eyes as he yanked the knife that had been pinning Kuya's hand out of the tree, letting the bloody hand flop to the floor with a twitch. Throwing the knife back over to Akumi, Jurobii looked at the unconscious man on the floor in front of him. He smiled wickedly as he picked the body up and placed it on his shoulder, careful not to let the cursed hand touch him.

Turning to look back at Akumi and Mikio, Jurobii smiled.

"Miru Hito of Sin… obtained."

-Matsuni Estate - Molly's Bedroom-

It was midnight in the Land of Rain. The sprinkling pitter patter of rain against the lone window was a soft and relaxing sound to the ears. It was dark, with only the light of the full moon shining into the room. The air was cool and moved nicely with the help of the ceiling fan above. Molly snored softly as she slept in the bed on the left side of the room, bundled in her large comforter that provided warmth from the cool night air.

Naruto laid on the other bed above the sheets. He was still dressed in his full ninja attire just in case he needed to act quickly against a night attack. His hands were behind his head and his eyes following one of the blades on the ceiling fan, his eyes going round and round in circles. It relaxed him and kept his mind at ease. He had his headphones in his ears and was listening to his music. The volume was lowered quite considerably as to not wake Molly. Naruto laid quietly as he thought of random things from what he would do with Molly tomorrow to his boredom with how little there was to do in this place.

The last two days since their arrival at Hiro's home had been rather lax. There hadn't been any threat of an attack so far and everything seemed to be calm. Naruto hadn't seen much of his comrades as he was in charge of keeping track of Molly until the mission was over. The home was rather large, with the only contact with his friends being the nightly dinners Hiro held to thank them for their help. Naruto felt odd being cut off from the rest of his friends as they ran guard duty and roamed the home in shifts as added protection. Naruto didn't mind staying with Molly and playing games with her, but Naruto was a ninja… He wanted action!

Naruto looked away from the ceiling fan and turned to look at the sleeping Molly. She looked so calm and peaceful when she slept. Naruto let a soft smile grace his face at seeing her so still. Naruto focused his thoughts to the conversation he'd had with Molly the previous day. He just couldn't wrap his head around why in the world the Sage had given Molly a mark.

_(Flashback) _

"_Naruto-Sama? Why are you being so quiet?" Molly asked innocently, as she stood in front of the sitting Naruto. _

_Naruto and Molly were currently in the Garden in the middle of the large estate. There was a single bench in the middle of the large grassy area where Naruto currently sat lost in thought. For the last couple hours, he had watched Molly play in the grass and chase ladybugs that had flown by. He hadn't even noticed Molly walk her way over to him until she jutted her face right in front of his. _

"_H…huh?" Naruto asked confusedly, torn from his thoughts._

"_Why are you being so quiet!?" You've been spacing out all day, Naruto-Sama! You haven't even played with me today!" Molly whined in annoyance, stomping her foot on the ground slightly. _

_Naruto blinked a couple times to regain his focus before smiling softly at the little girl. _

"_Sorry, Molly! I guess I just have a lot on my mind," Naruto said while rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment._

_Molly turned her head to the side and gave Naruto a curious look._

"_What are you thinking about, Naruto-Sama?" Molly asked sweetly as she swayed side to side playfully. _

_Naruto scrunched his eyes at the girl and gave her a questioning look._

"_What do you mean, what am I thinking!? You can read freaking minds, so you should already know!" Naruto said loudly as he crossed his arms and jutted out his lower lip._

_Molly giggled slightly before regaining her composure. She leaned forward and poked Naruto on his cheek playfully._

"_You're silly! I don't always want to read your mind. That would be intruding," Molly said in a joking tone as she giggled. _

_Naruto furrowed his brow before letting his eyes soften kindly. _

"_Molly… Can I ask you a few questions about your mark and how you got it?" Naruto asked quietly with a serious tone. _

_Molly raised her brow at the question as she looked at her bandaged hand, then back to Naruto. She scrunched her brows at Naruto curiously._

"_Sure, Naruto-Sama… What do you want to know!?" Molly asked enthusiastically. _

_Naruto leaned forward so his elbows were on his knees and his eyes focused on Molly. He thought briefly about how he wanted to go about the questions._

"_Molly… This old man that gave you your mark… What did he look like exactly?" Naruto asked inquiringly, his hands clasped together in concentration._

_Molly looked away from Naruto over to a patch of wild flowers to her left. She hummed quietly to herself, clearly thinking about the question carefully before answering. Keeping her eyes on the flowers, she gave a slight pout._

"_I don't know really… He wore a cloak and had his hood up, covering his face…" Molly said quietly._

"_Well… Did he happen to say anything to you? I mean… I'm sure he didn't just walk up and grab your hand, right?" Naruto asked quickly, the lack of information frustrating him. _

_Molly looked at Naruto and beamed a huge smile. Her eyes wide like a light bulb just went off in her head. _

"_Ya! He did say stuff! Although… It really didn't make sense at all," Molly said while pouting again slightly. _

_Naruto leaned forward even more towards the girl standing in front of him. His eyes focused as his curiosity itched at the back of his mind. _

"_What did he say, Molly?" Naruto asked in a soft tone._

_Molly scrunched her face in annoyance at the memory of the old man. _

"_He spoke in these big words that I didn't know… It was really hard to understand what he meant at all," Molly answered in a whisper, the irritation on her face fading slightly. _

_Naruto sighed in exasperation while he rubbed his temples slightly._

'_Well…I really couldn't understand him that well either…so I don't blame her,' Naruto thought to himself in a sigh. _

"_Though…" Molly said quickly, interrupting Naruto's thought. "He did keep mentioning something about how pure I was… whatever that meant." _

_Naruto refocused his eyes on Molly as he pondered what she just said. _

"_Pure… What do you mean he said you were pure?" Naruto asked with a raised brow. _

_Molly shrugged her shoulders and grunted. "I dunno. He just said I was pure of heart… And that's when he asked for a handshake, but I suggested a high five!"_

'_Pure… Why would he call her… pure?' Naruto thought to himself quietly as he leaned back on the bench to look up at the dark clouds above. _

"_Can I go play now!?" Molly humphed as she stomped her foot once again. "You're making me waste my whole day!"_

_Naruto looked back down from the sky as his thoughts were broken once again. He smiled softly at the girl as he gave her a playful wink._

"_Ya, go ahead, little pest," Naruto said playfully as he shooed her away with his hand._

_Molly crossed her arms and humphed her loudest yet before turning on her heels and running off into the grassy field. _

_(End Flashback)_

'_Pure… I still have no fucking idea why that word bothers me!?'_ Naruto thought to himself in frustration. 'For all I know, it could mean nothing!'

Naruto scrunched his eyes together and grabbed his head, violently rubbing and pulling his hair in frustration as he tried to understand what all of this meant. In his little fit, Naruto accidently bumped his mp3 player off of the bed. It fell, unlinking itself from his earphones and bouncing onto the floor and skidding into the middle of the room.

"Sigh… Great! Now I gotta get out of bed!" Naruto grumbled to himself.

Rolling over and onto his feet, Naruto lifted himself off the side of the bed. Tiptoeing quietly over to his mp3 as to not wake Molly, he raised his knees high and dramatically with every step. He bent down and grabbed the small device forcefully, then straightened himself and stood motionless in the middle of the room. He turned his head to the right and looked at the small window his device happened to fall next to. It still glistened with the rain that was falling on the other side and ticked quietly with every droplet.

He turned fully and walked over to the window. Looking out, he could still see the distorted visual of the flower garden that lay out below the second story window. The rain on the windows surface blurred the visual but still allowed the making out of large shapes and figures. For the first time since arriving at the home, Naruto took in the beauty of the flower garden below.

The garden was round and was about fifty yards in diameter. In the middle of the garden was a fountain with a beautiful woman carved in stone. The carved woman looked to be old, with chips and cracks along her surface. She was holding a bowl in which the water flowed out of and into the small pond below her. The style of the carving looked to be of old Renaissance, which just further showed off Hiro-San's wealth. Next to the fountain was a single street lamp to help illuminate the area at night. Around the fountain were flowers upon flowers of all shapes and sizes. The colors of the small plants glowed beautifully with the help of the rain and beams of moonlight through the storm clouds.

A small stone path ran through the garden and up to the fountain. The path ran back towards the home towards two large wooden doors that were below the window Naruto was currently at. On the path was what appeared to be… a person in front of the stone fountain under the street lamp? Naruto scrunched his eyes trying to make out the figure through the blurred window.

'_Who the hell would be out this late and in the friggin' rain!?' _Naruto wondered.

Looking at the figure, Naruto could only tell they were holding an umbrella and were clearly watching the rain fall upon the stone woman. Naruto raised his brow and looked at the figure a few more moments before sighing.

'_Great… Now I'm curious and won't be able to sleep until I see what the fuck this mystery person is doing!' _Naruto thought in slight aggravation.

Naruto turned to his left and looked at the sleeping Molly with a worried look on his face.

'_But… I can't just leave Molly… Oh… She will be fine! I'll be gone like five minutes!' _Naruto thought happily, reassuring himself.

Naruto turned on his heel and tiptoed to the door while throwing his mp3 back onto the bed. He quickly placed on his sandals and pulled the door open quietly and stepped through. He pulled the door shut behind him as he made his way down the hall in search of the entrance to the garden.

After making his way through the spooky ass hallways and down the large stairs at the front of the estate, Naruto finally was able to locate the two large wooden doors that lead to the garden. Grasping the large metal handle, he pulled the right door open as it creaked loudly in the still night air; his ears immediately filled with the sound of rain. It wasn't falling as heavy as it had been earlier, but it still sprinkled loudly. Looking out into the darkness, Naruto could still see the figure underneath the street lamp standing in front of the stone fountain. The umbrella they were holding was still blocking the person's upper body, leaving Naruto unable to pin who it was. Naruto slumped slightly as he looked up at the rainy storm clouds above while still standing inside the dry entranceway.

'… _I'm going to have to go out there, huh?' _Naruto thought to himself in exasperation.

Naruto grabbed the hood to his jacket and flicked it up over his head to protect himself from the cold downpour. Sighing quietly, he placed his hands in his jacket pockets for warmth and stepped out into the night. The rain tapped against Naruto's jacket softly as he made his way down the stone path and over to the lone figure.

'_What the hell am I even doing this for!? This could just be some crazy maid, or even a body guard on duty… I pray to god this isn't a waste of time_.'

"**What have we said about praying to the woman we killed, Kit… It's pretty stupid of you… Hah!"**__Kurama laughed out from Naruto's mind.

'_You know there are more gods then just her!? I could be praying to one of them!'_ Naruto thought back it aggravation.

"**Uhuh! Sure," **Kurama replied, sarcastically.

Naruto rolled his eyes, not even bothering to argue with the damn fox this time as he continued on his way through the rain.

Naruto's pace was slow; his feet splashed faintly with every step. The cool puddles that lined the stone path rippled and bounced from the oncoming rain. Naruto loved the rain and loved to stand under it and just let it wash away his troubles. It was funny how the darkest of Mother Nature's moods was the weather that helped Naruto out of a funk… Perhaps it was because when it rained… he didn't have to hide his tears.

Naruto took in a deep breath, enjoying the sweet smell as he continued his slow trek over to the mystery person. As he drew closer, he was able to make out better details of the person that stood at the end of the path.

He was able to tell it was a she from her small figure. She was holding a dark black umbrella that still covered most of the woman's upper body. She had on what appeared to be a purple medic skirt and black skintight leggings underneath. Her knees had fish netting covering them and her feet had on black sandals. The woman's right thigh was taped in white athletic tape with a quick-access kunai knife pouch strapped on. A long tail of platinum blonde hair hung down just above the woman's bottom from under the umbrella.

Naruto let his eyes soften as he didn't have to see the rest of the woman to recognize who he was about to meet. He knew of only one person with that blonde of hair and purple medic skirt.

'_Ino… What the hell are you doing out here?' _Naruto thought to himself quietly, and for some reason… slightly worried.

The rain that pattered on the cold stone path muffled the sound of Naruto's footsteps as he made his way closer to Ino. He was only a couple feet behind her before he decided to make his presence known to his friend.

"You on guard duty or something!?" Naruto asked quite loudly over the rain fall.

At his sudden loud voice, Ino shrieked out and flung herself around, drawing a kunai with her right hand and still holding the umbrella with her left. She stared at the hooded Naruto, who stood before her with a wicked grin upon his face. He knew he had just scared the absolute shit out of her.

Ino lowered her weapon and grew bright red with embarrassment at being taken so off guard.

"DAMMIT NARUTO! YOU SCARED THE FUCKING PISS OUT OF ME!" Ino hollered loudly as her shoulders shook with anger and her face still bright red.

Naruto giggled slightly as he walked closer to the girl to join her under the light provided from the street lamp.

"Well then, you should be glad it's raining, because then that would be really embarrassing HAHA!" Naruto mocked as he stopped just a few feet away from Ino with a bright grin on his face.

Ino's face grew even redder at getting Naruto's joke and she turned crossing her arms quickly and turning her face away to partially hide her flushed face. She re-pocketed her Kunai Knife and adjusted the umbrella in her hand to hold more comfortably.

Naruto smiled at the girl's actions, knowing he had embarrassed her even further with his comment. He rubbed the back of his head slightly as he pointed to the umbrella Ino was holding.

"You got room for another under there?" Naruto asked quietly, getting Ino to turn back towards him to see what he meant.

Following his finger to the umbrella, she smiled softly and moved it to the side of her body to allow room.

"Sure… Come on, you idiot." Ino said, keeping the smile on her face, but losing the blush.

Naruto gladly walked next to Ino underneath the umbrella. He lifted his hands and pulled off his hood, then shook his hair slightly. Ino turned away to look back at the fountain of the stone woman like she had been doing previously. Naruto glanced out of the corner of his eye at Ino, seeing she was looking out into the garden once again.

"You didn't answer my question… You out here on guard duty, or something?" Naruto asked softly as he also looked out at the beautiful flowers that surrounded them.

"No," Ino said, shaking her head slightly. "Its Sakura's and Sai's night for that… I was just out enjoying the weather."

Naruto nodded in understanding as he put his hands back in his jacket pockets for warmth. He looked out at the dark sky, watching the dark rain drops fall heavily onto the ground and flowers. He smiled and hummed slightly to himself.

"What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be guarding Molly?" Ino asked sternly.

"I saw you from the bedroom window," Naruto informed while throwing a thumb behind them in the direction of the second story window. "Thought I'd come down and see what was up. Molly is fine as well… She's sleeping like a baby right now."

Ino nodded as she turned back to the flowers. Both stood in complete silence for a few minutes as they watched the rain fall around them. Naruto turned and saw how Ino looked so relaxed and calm at the moment, completely different from her usual loud and boisterous personality.

"You like the rain, Ino?" Naruto asked in an almost whisper as he watched the droplets fall from the heavens.

"Yes… I do," Ino replied softly. "I love the smell."

Naruto turned his head slightly and gave her a puzzled look from the corner of his eye.

"The smell, huh?" Naruto asked softly. "Why?"

Ino scrunched her lips together while she pondered how to answer the question.

"I guess… it's because there isn't any other scent like it in the world." Ino gave a soft smile. "I spend almost all my time around flowers, so I breathe in all of these beautiful scents all the time… but… the smell of rain is just different from all of them. It's… one of a kind."

Naruto nodded with a calm look upon his face.

"Ya… I totally know what you mean," Naruto said in a soft tone. "When it rains… the smell… and the sound… I don't really know how to put it, but I feel… safe."

Ino turned her head away from the fountain and gave Naruto a large shut-eyed grin.

"Well, would you look at that? Looks like we have something else in common besides our blond hair and loud personalities!" Ino informed happily.

Naruto laughed slightly at this as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Ya, haha! I guess we do." Naruto said sweetly, letting his arm drop down back to his side.

Ino and Naruto turned to look at each other with smiles on their faces. Their eyes met and for a brief moment they stared into each other's eyes. Naruto stared sweetly at Ino as she stared lovingly back at him. Ino noticed how Naruto's eyes weren't as hollow as they had been two weeks ago. They weren't the bright blue sapphires they used to be, but they had at least regained a little of their shine. Yet she could still see fear and regret deep with them, making her slightly sad.

Being under the umbrella together, their faces were mere inches away from each other. The moment was broken soon after, though, as Naruto blinked a couple times quickly, realizing he had just been staring at her strangely.

Naruto turned away quickly with a slight blush on his face as he whistled nervously to himself. Ino only smiled wider as she turned away, also with a slight pink tint to her cheeks. The sadness from seeing his true feelings faded quickly.

'_What the fuck was that!? Did… Did I just have a moment with Ino!?' _Naruto thought to himself, flabbergasted and completely embarrassed.

The two stood silently once again as the rain continued to fall around them. The sound of the rain pattering against the umbrella was soothing, but Ino was beginning to feel awkward with the silence between her and Naruto.

"So… How's your puzzle coming?" Ino asked sweetly as she elbowed Naruto gently in the side to grab his attention.

Naruto turned back towards Ino with a baffled look, not understanding what she meant.

"What puzzle?" Naruto asked confusedly as he crossed his arms.

Ino turned her head slightly as she rolled her eyes playfully.

"You know, dummy… Picking up your pieces and putting them back in place?"

Naruto stared at Ino with a blank look before his eyes grew wide, finally understanding what she meant.

"Oh! Well, it's coming along… I mean, I'm not locked up in my apartment anymore, so I guess that's leaps and bounds from where I was... I'm also on this mission with you and haven't had a nervous breakdown… So all in all, I'm doing quite fine!" Naruto informed, giving her an awkward, forced smile.

Ino studied Naruto's face for a brief moment before sending him a scowl. She crossed her arms while still holding the umbrella and focused her gaze upon him.

"What have I told you about doing that?" Ino asked quietly, a slight tinge of anger in her voice.

Naruto blinked owlishly at Ino, again not knowing what she was talking about.

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

Ino rolled her eyes as her foot began to tap in annoyance.

"What have I told you about lying to me, Uzumaki?" Ino asked again as her eyes began to narrow.

Naruto blinked a few times before he gulped in nervousness. He rubbed the back of his as he scrunched his eyes to gather and gave a goofy forced smile. A sweat drop rolled off the side of his head.

"W…what are you talking about Ino? I… I'm not lying to you." Naruto said in a shaky voice, trying to lie himself even further out of the hole he was digging.

"Oh, please! I know when you're lying to me, Naruto! It's as obvious to see as that bright-ass orange you always wear!" Ino hollered as her patience began to run thin.

Naruto brought his hands in front of his chest as he waved them back and forth quickly, trying not to piss of the young woman even more then he already had.

"OK, OK! I'm sorry, I'll stop!" Naruto pleaded, trying to hide the fear he felt from Ino's anger. Sakura and Ino always scared the shit out of him when their tempers were up.

'_This woman's scarier than Baa-Chan!'_ Naruto thought in a shriek.

"Well, then… tell me how you really feel, dumbass!" Ino stated in annoyance as her glare never faded.

Naruto gulped and shook slightly where he stood.

"W…well," Naruto began, trying to compose himself. "I guess… I'm actually really scared, Ino." Naruto murmured as his eyes dropped to the ground.

The little color and life he had left instantly, leaving the blank cold eyes she had first seen two weeks prior.

"I really don't want to mess up on this… The last time I was in a fight… I lost my best friend… I… I…" Naruto spoke in a shaky whisper with his eyes downcast.

Naruto was cut off by small smooth hands pressing under his chin, lifting his head and sight upward. Looking up, Naruto saw Ino looking straight into his eyes again, giving him a look he didn't really see very often from people. It made his cheeks feel warm again.

"Like I said before, Naruto… You are going to do fine. If anyone ever does try and attack Hiro-Sama's home again, I'm sure you will be there to save the day," Ino spoke sweetly with the most loving smile spread across her face.

Naruto looked back at Ino with his mouth slightly agape. Naruto's bewildered look slowly faded, though, as his eyes focused and his brow furrowed. With a quick movement, Naruto knocked Ino's hand away from his chin gently as he looked at her questioningly.

"Ok… What the fuck happened to you?" Naruto asked with an aggressive tone.

Ino frowned at her hand being knocked away and the sudden mood swing from her blond friend. She blinked in confusion while she cradled the hand that was knocked away like it was injured.

"W… What do you mean, what happened to me?" Ino asked in confusion, sadness in her voice.

"I MEAN… with you being all nice to me as of late. You never used to act like this, and as a matter of fact… You are usually pretty rude to me!" Naruto explained as he crossed his arms tightly.

Ino was taken aback slightly by what he said. She recovered quickly though, as she as well starting glaring at Naruto and crossed her arms aggressively.

"What!? So I can't be nice to my freaking friends, Uzumaki!?" Ino asked heatedly. "Or do you prefer me calling you an ass and an idiot, which by the way, YOU'RE BEING RIGHT NOW!"

Naruto growled in anger.

"I don't mind the being nice to me, but stop all this crap about how you think I will be fine! You don't know what goes on in my head! You don't know how I feel inside! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW FUCKING SCARED I AM!" Naruto hollered as tears he was holding back threatened to emerge. "I appreciate what you're trying to do here Ino… but stop!"

"WHY!? So you can continue to wallow in your own self fucking pity!? GOD! I know you're hard headed, Naruto, but knock it the fuck off! IM TRYING TO HELP YOU!" Ino yelled back, her fist balled at her sides and shaking.

"WHY!? I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR HELP!" Naruto countered as he as well balled his fists and yelled over the roar of the rain.

Ino stomped her foot heavily as she jabbed a finger into Naruto's chest.

"BECAUSE I WANT THE OLD YOU BACK!" Ino hollered.

Naruto's mood dropped instantly at hearing that. He looked at her with wide eyes with his mouth agape once again. His shoulders slouched in sadness, waiting for her to continue.

"I'm sick of you being like this. The old Naruto wouldn't have a sudden mood swing and yell at his friends! He wouldn't doubt himself or what he could do. The fact of the matter is, _Naruto_, I _do_ know you better than you think I do. Get your head out of your ass and be… well… Naruto! Not this little bitch you have been," Ino informed as she as well let her mood slightly drop.

Naruto was left speechless as Ino turned on her heel and began to walk back to the two large doors at the end of the path, aggravated. Naruto was left standing in the rain, the cold water beginning to droop his hair and wet his headband. He looked on at her sadly with his posture slouched.

'_Great... Why did you have to go and be a dick, Naruto? She was only trying to help out and you go and flip out on her. I'm a fucking dumbass!' _Naruto thought to himself angrily.

Naruto quickly ran after Ino, meeting her halfway down the path.

"WAIT!" Naruto called out as he reached the pale blonde woman.

Naruto reached out, grasping Ino's left hand making her stop in her tracks. She didn't turn and look at Naruto, instead choosing to keep her eyes towards the exit at the end of the path.

"I… I'm sorry… I know you're just trying to help. To be honest, I really like that you've been nice to me lately. I'm just a little freaked out by all of the doubts and fears I have going on inside my head. I'm not used to these feelings, and I don't really know how to handle them. Ino… I really appreciate everything you've don't to help pick me up and put me back on my feet. I didn't mean to freak out on you like that… That's not like me, and it's not how you should be treated. Please forgive me," Naruto whispered out in pain, the grip he had on Ino's hand tightening.

Ino looked over her shoulder only revealing her left eye, her expression unreadable. Naruto looked back at her with pleading eyes. Ino quickly turned on her heel looking Naruto sweetly with a small smile on her face.

"I forgive you. I know you are scared and confused… After all, I felt the same way when I lost Asuma-Sensei and my father. Just… if you're gonna vent with me, next time… Can you at least give me some warning?" Ino laughed slightly.

Naruto blinked slowly as a slight blush spread across his face.

"Haha… Ya, sure! I'll try and warn you when I'm about to freak out again." Naruto said with an embarrassed smile on his face.

"Good!" Ino said loudly. "And Naruto…"

"Huh?" Naruto asked in a confused grunt.

"You're still holding my hand," Ino said softly, sending a wink towards Naruto.

Naruto's blush grew tenfold as he quickly let go of her hand and rubbed the back of his head quickly.

"Uhh… Sorry, Ino!" Naruto responded with an embarrassed, shaky voice.

'_Idiot,' Ino_ thought in a loving tone as she walked close to Naruto to allow him back under the large umbrella.

The two walked back over to the street lamp and watched the rain fall in silence for a few minutes, both enjoying the calming sound the droplets provided with their impact. Naruto looked out of the corner of his eye, studying the calm blonde female next to him. He smiled softly to himself.

'_You know… You're not that bad at all, Ino. As a matter of fact… you are actually quite… pleasant' _Naruto thought sweetly, letting his eyes roam softly over her face.

Naruto's sweet thoughts were broken, though, as a nagging question resurfaced in the back of his mind. He turned his face to look at Ino completely. A look of concern on his face.

"Hey… Ino," Naruto spoke out softly, just loud enough to grab the blonde's attention.

"Hmm?" Ino moaned out questioningly, turning to look at Naruto.

Naruto swayed back and forth trying to find the best way of asking the woman his question.

"I know we are having a nice night and we are bonding as friends for the first time in like, ever... despite how much of a dick I just was," Naruto spoke out, earning a nod from his blonde companion. "But I was wondering if I could ask you a question that I've been wanting to for the last couple days."

Ino's eyes began to widen as her heart fluttered lightly.

'_He isn't about to ask me what I think he's about to ask me… is he!?' _Ino thought in shock, with tones of hope radiating off of her.

"I mean, this question might piss you off, and I really don't want to make you angry again. Although, you might not want to answer it at all, making this an even more awkward situation. Just know when I ask this question, no matter how you answer, I will completely understand, and hope you don't unleash your fury upon me!" Naruto babbled on, using his hands to emphasize his words.

Ino bounced up and down in anticipation. Naruto's jumping around the question she thought was coming was killing her.

"JUST ASK ME ALREADY, NARUTO!" Ino hollered in annoyance and excitement. Her heart pounding in her chest rapidly.

Naruto gulped loudly, preparing himself before he blabbered out his question quickly.

"Why are you so pissed at Sai?" Naruto asked quickly and in a high pitched voice, throwing his hands up in front of his face to protect from an attack that never came.

Ino's heart stopped as her mood quickly changed from excitement… to disappointment.

'_Oh… He meant he was afraid to bring up my ex… not ask me out… fucking… (Sigh)… perfect," _Ino thought glumly.

Naruto dropped his hands and opened his eyes after a few seconds to see a disappointed and saddened Ino standing in front of him, although he thought it was because he brought up Sai… not because he didn't ask her out.

"I'm sorry, Ino! Just forget my question! I was afraid you would be put off by it," Naruto spoke softly as he looked at her in concern.

Ino snapped out of her sudden onslaught of sadness as she shook her head slightly. She looked up at Naruto and gave him a reassuring but fake smile.

"No, it's fine, Naruto. I just thought… Oh… Never mind, it isn't important." Ino pulled her bangs to sit behind her ear. "Now… What do you want to know about that dick Sai?"

Naruto looked at her, not knowing he if should continue on with the issue, but decided to believe her.

"Like I said… Why are you pissed at him? I mean… I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries by asking this," Naruto said while pushing his hands into his jacket pockets. Eyes locked onto Ino's face.

Ino turned away from Naruto to look at her reflection in the puddles on the ground. Her image rippled and swayed as she looked at herself.

"I don't know if I really want to talk about it yet," Ino spoke out quietly, apprehension evident in her voice.

She crossed her arms, not in the manner of aggression, but more of comforting herself. With her free hand, she rubbed her arm to help soothe herself. Naruto's eyes dropped as well to look at himself in the small puddles of water on the ground.

"It's that bad, huh? I mean, I've seen you pissed off and even sad before, but… I've never seen you… hurt." Naruto informed sadly, eyes downcast.

Ino didn't respond as she continued to hold herself. Tears threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes upon hearing the word "hurt" come from Naruto. She _was_ hurt… and she felt trapped by her emotions. She perked up as Naruto spoke again.

"Ino… I know I've never really been there for you like this before… But since you're so willing to help me out with my current issues, then it would only be fair to help you out with yours! So… I mean… What I'm trying to say is that… if you're willing to help me pick up the pieces with my life… I'll gladly do the same for you," Naruto said sweetly as he looked at the withdrawn Ino. "If you'll be my vent… I'll be yours."

Ino smiled softly at hearing Naruto say those things to her. She turned to look back at Naruto with glossy eyes and tear-stained cheeks. She quickly wiped her eyes and face, letting out a cute sniffle as she did.

"Thank you… Naruto. I would really appreciate that." Ino spoke appreciatively, her eyes begging to calm from her ramped up emotions. "It would be nice to talk about it to someone who isn't overwhelmed by gossip like most of my friends are."

Naruto smiled widely at Ino, giving her a wink.

"Hey, if you tell me something personal that you don't want getting out, I'll gladly listen and lock it away forever," Naruto said happily, lifting his right hand and jutting out his pinky. "It's a promise, Ino!"

Ino smiled wide and gladly wrapped her pinky around Naruto's, letting a completely content look grace her face as she spoke.

"Ok… It's a promise, and from here on out… you and I are vent buddies! You can talk about your problems with me, and I'll talk about mine with you," Ino said happily, tightening her squeeze on Naruto's pinky.

Naruto nodded while giving a big toothy grin with his eyes shut tightly. The smile made Ino drop her hand back to her side and gasp dramatically.

"Naruto!" Ino hollered out in overdramatic shock, getting Naruto to blink in confusion. "W… was that the ever famous foxy grin!? I thought I would never see you happy enough to see you do that again!"

Naruto blushed slightly as he once again rubbed the back of his head.

"Haha! Ya I guess I'm just…really happy to have a friend like you Ino!" Naruto said happily as the blush faded from his face.

This got Ino to blush slightly, though she turned away from Naruto to let out an awkward couch muffled by her hand. Ino took a couple seconds to recompose herself before she returned and gave a large, toothy, shut-eyed smile to Naruto as well.

"Well, thank you, Naruto! I feel the same way," Ino spoke out, receiving a thumbs up from Naruto.

Ino let her happiness drop slightly though as she looked at Naruto.

"Well… since we are vent buddies now… I guess since you already had your moment… it would only be fair if I answered your question." Ino tried to keep her perkiness up.

Naruto shook his hands in front of his chest to try and back the girl down from the idea.

"No, Ino, it's okay. You really don't have to do that if you aren't ready to! We could talk about it another time or something," Naruto pleaded as he continued to wave his hands.

Ino giggled a little as she shook her head.

"No really, it's okay… Maybe I need to get this off my chest. Have someone hear what happened and get an outside voice for guidance on how to handle it. I've kept it bottled up for months… Maybe you can help me deal with it." Ino went back to cradling herself while holding the umbrella.

Naruto looked at her apprehensively, but gave in and nodded kindly. He reached over and took the umbrella from her, deciding it was his turn to shield them from the downpour. Ino stood quietly for a few moments as she gathered herself for her story. She glanced all around the drenched garden before returning her gaze to the stone fountain. She took a deep breath and sighed slightly.

"Sai and I broke up almost 2 months ago. Knowing that you were locked away in your house, I'll let you know Sai and I started dating shortly after the end of the war," Ino informed, trying her best to keep her voice steady.

Naruto nodded in understanding, gesturing for her to continue.

"We dated for just over four months, and to be honest, everything was going fine. He was actually being a good boyfriend… granted everything he knew came from those stupid ass books he reads!" Ino said with a little frustration, earning a laugh from Naruto, who understood completely what she meant.

Ino's mood turned serious quickly, getting Naruto to also turn his mood and become more focused on what she was saying.

"So…Ya… Things we were going really well. We were reaching that point… and so we decided to… you know… take a very _large_ step in our relationship. My very first LARGE step, mind you," Ino said gently, putting emphasis on the word large.

She looked from the fountain over to Naruto waiting for him to get what she had meant. Naruto looked at her blankly with a slightly puzzled look.

"Oh…" Naruto said nonchalantly before his eyes grew wide and he recoiled. "OH!"

Ino rolled her eyes and looked back at the fountain quietly, letting Naruto absorb what this meant. Naruto recovered and looked at Ino like she was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen.

"WAIT! SO YOURE NOT A VIRG-!?" Naruto hollered but was cut short by a hand clasped over his mouth.

"SHHHHHHHHHHHH! You fucking dumb ass! You want the entire Rain Country to hear you, jackass!?" Ino hissed back letting her hand drop from Naruto's face.

Naruto sweat-dropped and coughed awkwardly.

"S… sorry. Please continue," Naruto whispered out as he refocused himself.

Ino flicked her head, getting her hair to move over her left shoulder, showing off her attitude and displeasure with Naruto practically announcing one of her secrets to the world. She began to play with her ponytail as she relaxed and continued her story.

"Yes… Naruto… I lost my V-card to Sai… but it only happened once," Ino informed quietly, growing sadder with every word.

Naruto raised his eyebrow, wanting to ask why, but chose to let her answer it herself if she wanted to.

"We only ended up doing it once… well… because… it was the main reason we broke up." Ino said softly as she stopped and stood quietly, trying to gather herself.

With her sudden pause Naruto was left with whirlwind of thoughts racing through his head…and he didn't like any of them.

'_What did this fucker do!? He… he didn't rape her, did he!? Oh, I'll fucking kill him if he did that! Or maybe he was really shitty in bed? … No, wait… Ino isn't that shallow, but then maybe he…' _Naruto continued to think at a thousand miles an hour before being interrupted by Ino.

"Naruto… what I'm about to tell you never leaves your mouth and is only between us… Got it!?" Ino asked forcefully, receiving a confident nod from Naruto.

Ino took a deep shaky breath.

"The reason I hate Sai and why we broke up is… On our very first time… MY… very first time ever making love… he… he moaned another person's name," Ino whispered out coldly, her voice trembling trying to hold back her tears.

Naruto stared at Ino with wide eyes and an open mouth. He was completely speechless and didn't even have the courage to move.

"W… wow… That's heavy," Naruto whispered out, receiving no response from Ino. "So he… moaned another girl's name right in the middle of…" Naruto asked out but chose not to finish his question.

Ino curled her fist at her side as she looked at Naruto through unfallen tears. Her teeth gritted together angrily.

"I… I never said… it was a female's name… Naruto," Ino hissed out as the tears finally broke free.

If Naruto was shocked before he was downright awestruck now. He almost fell off of his feet with that sudden information. His mouth opened and shut like a fish out of water while his hands hung loosely at his side.

"Sai's… gay!? WOW! ... That's… um… Wow," Naruto mumbled out as Ino quietly cried next to him.

Naruto recovered from his shock at hearing the slow sniffles coming from his left. Turning to look back at Ino, he saw just how hurt she truly was. She trembled and her cries shook her voice. She tried to cover her face with her hands, but the tears rain through her fingers, landing with the already falling rain.

'_I guess the rain can only hide your tears sometimes,' _Naruto thought sadly, as he reached forward and placed his hand on Ino's shoulder.

"Ino… It's okay, I..." Naruto tried to speak out but was broken from his words as Ino broke her hands from her face and smacked Naruto's hand away forcefully. She stood heatedly next to Naruto with half of her body hanging outside of the umbrella, getting wet from the rain. Her face was red with anger and her eyes glossy with sadness. Tears continued to flow down her face, seemingly unstoppable.

"NO, NARUTO! IT'S NOT FUCKING OKAY! THAT BASTARD TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME! HE TOOK MY INNOCENCE! HE TOOK MY HEART AND SMASHED IT INTO A MILLION PIECES! BUT…." Ino's voice trembled and fell slightly, unable to keep up her yelling through her shaky voice. "But worst of all… he lied to me, Naruto."

Naruto also began to shake with emotions. He felt for the woman in front of him, but he just didn't know how to help her. He had never dealt with a problem like this before.

"He lied to me..." Ino whispered out through her tears. "He made me start to love him… start to feel for him… He let me make the choice to give myself to him… and he wasn't even interested in me. Wasn't interested in any woman. That's why I hate it when you lie to me, Naruto… because it reminds me of that bastard… It reminds me of my broken heart and soul. I was willing to give him everything… but he turned out to just be a liar!" Ino was flat out bawling by the time she finished her rant.

"I feel so alone, Naruto…I feel so naked and afraid!" Ino whimpered out through her hands.

Her shoulders shook violently and she was about to fall to her knees when she felt a large, warm embrace encircle her. Her voice caught in her throat but she didn't move her hands from her face. Naruto had grasped her in a tight hug, letting the umbrella he was holding fall to the ground next to them and allowing them to get wet from the slight drizzle that fell on and around them. She leaned into the embrace as she continued to cry. Naruto leaned in close to her ear as he whispered. He rubbed his hand up and down her back to sooth her.

"Shhhhhh… It's okay, Ino… it's okay. Just let it all out… I'm here for you… I'm not going anywhere.

At hearing this Ino flung her arms around Naruto's chest as she buried her face into the crook of his neck, her tears beginning to soak his already slightly damp jacket. She continued to sob as he spoke.

"Like I said before… if you're willing to help me pick up the pieces in my life… I will undoubtedly help you pick up the pieces to yours. You're an amazing woman, Ino… even I can see that! You deserve the best, and you will find it someday. Losing your virginity isn't that big of a deal, anyway… I'm actually jealous of you, haha! I'm the same age as you and I haven't even kissed a girl yet. So… please don't let this bother you anymore, Ino… I will always be right here if you need me. If you truly feel lonely… I'll always be right here… and if you feel naked out in this cold, cold world we live in… I'll gladly be your jacket." Naruto whispered out in the most soothing and loving voice he could manage.

Ino's sobbing had long since stopped as she still stayed buried into Naruto's neck, listening to him speak. Her heart fluttered at hearing his words and for the first time since the incident with Sai…she felt okay about it. Lifting her head and looking up at Naruto, she smiled sweetly. The tears had stopped falling, leaving only glossy eyes and puffy, red cheeks. Naruto smiled back at her as they stayed intertwined in their close hug.

"Do you really mean it, Naruto? Will you really always be there if I need you?" Ino asked in a soft voice as she studied Naruto's eyes, their faces extremely close.

Naruto blushed with the closeness but didn't break away from the embrace.

"Of course, Ino! After all… you are one of my oldest friends and one of my precious people!" Naruto spoke out confidently, sending another large foxy grin at the woman in his arms.

Ino's face lit up and her blush increased tenfold. Her breath was caught in her throat for a brief moment.

'_I'm one of his… precious people,' _Ino thought happily as her heart danced.

Naruto continued to give off his foxy grin with his eyes closed before he felt a small, warm peck on his cheek. Naruto opened his eyes quickly, seeing Ino lean away from his face. Naruto blushed even deeper as tried to focus his thoughts.

"W…w…what was that for?" Naruto asked in a shaky voice as Ino looked at him lovingly.

"That's… for being such a sweet guy… Naruto-Kun…," Ino whispered out as she winked at Naruto seductively.

Naruto let go of his embrace on Ino as she did the same, allowing him to step slightly backward. He rubbed the back of his head as he blushed deeply. He looked into her eyes with complete bafflement.

"D… don't worry about it, Ino," Naruto spoke out, trying to keep his voice calm.

Naruto's eyes widened slightly as he finally registered the nickname she just spoke.

"Wait, did you just say -Kun!?" Naruto asked with wide eyes.

Ino looked at him with her head titled and a glossy, loving look in her eyes. She was about to respond to his question when both were caught off guard.

(BOOM!)

The ground shook as a loud explosion came from behind them. Both turned quickly to look up over the tall building to see smoke and fire dancing in the distance.

"What the fuck was that!?" Naruto asked loudly as he clenched his fists.

Naruto was answered by 2 louder explosions that came from directly in front of them, sending shrapnel and debris from off the building.

"Shit, we are under attack!" Ino yelled out as she protected her face from the shockwave.

Naruto turned away from the explosions and focused on Ino. More bombs and explosions began to rattle off around the compound, shaking the floor with their impact.

"Ino! Go find the rest of the squad and protect Hiro! I'm gonna go get Molly and get her to safety!" Naruto ordered out loudly over the rain and explosions.

Ino nodded in understanding as she put a confident look on her face. The lovey-dovey moment she had been having with Naruto was over. It was time to do what they were sent there to accomplish.

"Right!" Ino confirmed as she turned to run towards the front of the compound as Naruto began to run back towards Molly's room.

"Naruto-Kun!" Ino called out getting Naruto to skid to a stop a few yards away from her. He looked over his shoulder questioningly.

"Be safe…" She called out with a worried look on her face.

Naruto gave a confident smile as he threw a thumbs up over his shoulder.

"You too, Ino!"Naruto hollered back and with those final words, both set off in the direction they were needed.

Naruto ran over to the wall with Molly's window above. With a great leap, he jumped towards the small square with great speed.

'_Well… time to find out if I'm truly ready to do this shit!'_ Naruto thought as he crossed his arms over his face to protect himself, as he crashed through Molly's window.

The battle had begun.

END CHAPTER 6

(Next Chapter: Naruto is finally back in action!)


	8. Chapter 7 Savior

(AN: So…I have started Class. I also have picked up some hours at my work. I'm swamped…. as of right now. I will have to make only a chapter a month instead of a chapter every 2 weeks or so. I will hopefully be able to pick up the pace when I find more time. I will keep myself on track by uploading a chapter every month on the 1st. If I can possibly get a chapter out sooner than once a month…then it will be a little treat :). I have also posted another picture on my deviant art account that I hope you all enjoy!)

Chapter 7 Savior

(CRASH!)

Naruto went straight through the window with ease. He rolled on his shoulder and up to his feet as glass fell to the ground around him loudly. With a soft skid, he stopped in the middle of the room. Rain fell into the now open window, wetting the floor. Naruto looked to his right as the ground rattled again with another explosion. Molly was curled into a ball in the corner of her bed against the wall. She had her blanket pulled up to cover her face as she barely looked over the edge of the comforter. Her eyes widened with the sudden loud entrance that shattered her window.

"Molly, we've got to get you out of here!" Naruto said loudly over the rain that entered the room through the window as the ground shook with another explosion off somewhere.

Molly's eyes lit up at seeing it was Naruto. She let her blanket drop from her face and smiled widely.

"NARUTO-SAMA!" Molly yelled out in relief. "What's going on!? Are we getting attacked again by those people?"

Naruto made his way over to the edge of Molly's bed with his arms spread open so she could grab onto him.

"No time to talk, I've got to get you out of here before one of those bombs hits h-," Naruto spoke out but stopped when he heard an object hit the floor behind him with a thud.

Turning, Naruto saw an arrow sticking out of the floor that must have flown in through the window. Attached to the end hanging by a string was a hissing explosive tag that sparked, signifying its oncoming detonation.

'FUCK!' Naruto thought with wide eyes as he turned quickly back to Molly.

In one quick action Naruto flicked his hands together, creating a clone behind him while he jumped up towards Molly, encircled her with his arms and pushed her close to his chest to protect her from the oncoming blast. The clone jumped forward onto the arrow, throwing out his arms and spreading his limbs wide as he landed, breaking the shaft with his weight. As soon as the clone hit the ground with the arrow beneath him, the explosive tag detonated. With the clone acting as a human shield, the blast was muffled slightly.

The shockwave sent Naruto through the wall next to Molly's bed as shrapnel and glass and chunks of wood from the floor were sent zooming past them. Never letting go of Molly, Naruto turned upwards as his back hit the floor in the room next to hers. Naruto closed his eyes tight as fragments of wood and plaster sprinkled around them. Once all movement stopped, Naruto opened his eyes and lifted his head to look back at the damage. Molly did the same as she turned her face out of Naruto's chest.

Through the massive hole in the now destroyed wall, Naruto observed the destruction. His clone had been obliterated with the explosion and a huge hole now sat where Molly's floor used to be located. The lower level of the home could be seen now, with pipes and wiring now sticking out, letting sparks fly and water flow. All of Molly's things were now gone, having either been completely obliterated or badly damaged.

"My… my room," Molly whimpered as she tightened her grip on Naruto's jacket.

Naruto rolled to his feet, placing his arms under Molly to support her as she clung to his chest. Dust and rubble fell off of their bodies, landing on the floor around them.

"Molly, let's go. I'll get you somewhere safe." Naruto spoke softly as his ears rang loudly from the blast.

Molly nodded as she pushed her face into Naruto's shoulder, letting fearful tears fall, wetting his still-damp jacket. Naruto lifted Molly to his back and put his arms under her legs for support. He jumped back through the massive hole in the wall and landed on the outer edge of the room, where there was still flooring left. With a quick step, Naruto dashed out of the other wall that was now also completely destroyed. The rain fell into the damaged room, drenching everything.

Naruto jumped over the rooftops as the rain fell; the hardest it had all night. The droplets stung the skin, their impact making Molly flinch and squint her eyes. Naruto was heading towards the main entrance of the compound with great speed, his feet splashing up water as they connected with the black tiles of the roof. Naruto scanned the mayhem as he made another large jump to another roof of the compound.

Smoke blurred his eyes as the rain also made it hard to make out objects. Explosions continued to rattle off all around, making the earth shake violently. Naruto ran along the roof, seeing the large gate in the distance. Naruto jumped down onto a lower wall in front of the house and continued his pace. Once the large home that was blocking Naruto's vision ended as he continued to run along the wall, he looked to his right into the large courtyard in the front of the estate. Just as he had reached the front of the home, it seems his friends had, as well.

Bursting from the front doors, Shikamaru, Choji, Sakura, Sai, and Ino ran out into the pouring rain. Hiro was encircled by his friends who were obviously putting up a human wall around him for protection. Stopping in the middle of the court yard, Shikamaru turned his head as he and Naruto made eye contact. Shikamaru's head turned slowly, following Naruto as he continued to run along the large courtyard wall. The rest of the squad also looked over to see what had caught their captain's attention. At seeing the passenger Naruto carried on his back, Shikamaru understood what Naruto's intentions were and nodded firmly. Naruto nodded back as he turned and jumped from the wall to the floor on the other side of the courtyard, breaking from the squad's eyesight.

Shikamaru quickly turned back to his team.

"Come on! We have to get Hiro to the bunker!" Shikamaru ordered. The group began to move once again. Rain splashed their ankles as they ran smoothly through the large puddles on the ground.

Their trek was stopped abruptly as an arrow with an explosive tag at the end landed a few feet in front of them. It hissed loudly in the heavy downpour.

"GET BACK!" Choji yelled. The group skidded to a stop and jumped away as the blast went off.

Shikamaru slid on his stomach, splashing up water until he came to a stop. Picking himself up quickly onto his knee, he scanned the area to assess the statuses of his teammates. Ino, Choji and Sakura stood off to the side a few feet from the newly formed crater caused by the explosion. Sai was crouched on a knee similar to Shikamaru as he had Hiro next to him.

Standing, Shikamaru began to say something before something behind the smoke from the explosion caught his eye. Narrowing his eyes, he stared at the figures that began to emerge from the smoke. The other members also focused as they realized the explosions that had been going on around them had ceased and only the sound of heavy rain rattled the night air.

The smoke finally cleared away with the wind, leaving 2 people standing on the opposite side of the crater. The rain continued to fall heavily around them as they tried to make out who their enemies were. Shikamaru gestured for the squad to form up as they walked together. They once again created a human wall around Hiro as the dark figures concealed by the rain still stood motionless.

"Who are they?" Choji asked out sternly, as he continued to watch the attackers carefully.

"I can't see any identifiable markings or symbols through this rain," Sakura stated calmly as she balled her fists, making her knuckles pop.

"We will just have to wait for them to make a move. With us having no knowledge on who these two people are… It would be stupid to attack them blindly," Shikamaru informed, earning a nod from the rest of his team.

"Are you afraid?" A feminine voice called out quietly over the rainfall.

The squad flinched at the new, unknown voice coming from the two figures. They were rattled that they were even able to hear her so clearly through this rain. They were having to yell just to get the people next to them to hear what they were saying. How was that possible?

"What's wrong, kiddies? Cat got your tongue?" The voice whispered out again from the direction of the dark figures.

Ino shivered from the tone in the woman's voice. It sounded so sweet and caring. It was… unnatural… they shouldn't have even been able to hear the woman from that distance.

'_What the hell is this!?' _Ino thought in frustration. Something didn't seem right at all.

Ino stared at the still unmoving figures before blinking quickly. As her eyes reopened, one of the figures was gone.

'_WHAT!?' _Ino thought completely shocked.

"W… where did he go!?" Choji yelled out in shock as he took a step backwards.

"SAKURA, ABOVE YOU!" Sai yelled out as he jumped backwards, away from the rest of the team.

Sakura looked up quickly to see a dark figure racing towards her in the pitch black sky. She could see the person's leg was raised for a kick. Sakura quickly threw her arms over her head and reinforced her arms with chakra to keep them from being broken by the incoming attack. The kick hit Sakura's arms dead on, causing the floor beneath her feet to crack and shake from the impact.

The mystery figure, seeing that their attack wasn't effective, twirled in the air and landed a couple feet in front of Sakura.

Lowering her arms with a wince from the pain in her now throbbing arms, Sakura readied herself for a counter attack. She was about to lunge at her attacker, but they jumped into the air and the area where the person was previously standing was destroyed by a large fist sticking into the ground.

The mystery person back-flipped and landed a few yards from where Choji's attack hit. The person slowly stood up and smiled wickedly at the group.

"Damn, I missed," Choji growled out as his fist shrunk back to normal size.

Focusing on the now clearly visible woman that stood before them, the team studied her appearance through the heavy rain.

The woman had long, cotton candy blue hair that was cut at the middle of her back. It stuck to her face and body from the rainfall. Her bangs hung just to the top of her eyes, sticking to her forehead. She had piercing brown eyes that glared menacingly at the group. She wore a long-sleeved, skintight black shirt with an orange swirl directly on her chest. Her black Jonin pants were torn at the knees and left untied at her ankles, unlike how most ninja wore them. Her sandals had a slight wedge on her heels, and were also black. On her left arm was a plate where a village symbol usually was present, but this plate was blank.

Sakura narrowed her eyes and glared back at her attacker, gritting her teeth at the smug look on the woman's face.

"Who the fuck are you!?" Ino yelled from behind Sakura as she walked forward.

Stopping beside Sakura, Ino didn't break her gaze from the woman, who only smiled slyly with a snicker.

The woman suddenly jumped backward a couple feet as a black and white tiger impacted the ground with a crash. Ink and water flew into the air before falling to the ground in puddles.

"She's fast," Sai spoke out calmly as he re-pocketed his brush. "She didn't even look at my attack, and yet she dodged it perfectly."

The woman kept quiet with the sly smile still on her face. Her eyes scanned over each person closely before she locked her gaze on Hiro, who was standing behind Sai. He cowed under her gaze and gulped loudly.

"Ah! There you are!" The woman spoke out calmly, setting herself into an attack position with her knees bent and spread. Her left arm extended out in front of her while her right arm stayed at her side.

She scanned Hiro calmly before she started to glance around him as if she was looking for something. She huffed with an annoyed look on her face as she turned her head to look back over her shoulder.

"HARU! The girl isn't here with these ninja!" the woman called out back towards her partner, who was still shadowed by the pitch black rainfall.

"Of course she isn't, Kira…My real self is already in pursuit of the ninja protecting her," the other person called out from the distance in an emotionless tone. By the sound of it, the other attacker was also female.

The blue haired woman, now known as Kira, huffed and turned red with anger. She fully turned away from Hiro and the others as she yelled childishly back to her partner.

"YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT BEFORE I CHARGED OVER HERE TO SEE IF SHE WAS WITH THEM!" Kira shouted out loudly stomping her foot childishly.

"It's not my fault you are reckless and stupid," The other woman spoke out again, her voice completely drained of emotion. "Also, Kira…"

"WHAT!?" Kira yelled in annoyance, still red-faced.

"Behind you…"

"Huh...?"

(BOOM!)

Sakura's fist impacted with the ground, sending fragments of rock and brick into the air. The ground indented around her fist as she yanked herself free from the hole.

"How the hell is she doing that!?" Sakura yelled out in frustration, watching as Kira skid to a stop a few feet from where Sakura attacked. "It's like she has eyes in the back of her head!"

Kira smiled as she turned back over her shoulder to look at Haru once again.

"YO! Go ahead and catch up with your real body! I can handle these pests," Kira hollered out back to the still cloaked Haru.

With that being said, Haru vanished from sight with no trace.

Kira turned back towards the group of ninja in front of her and gave an ominous glare towards Hiro.

"Well, kiddies….who wants to dance first?" Kira whispered out menacingly as she crouched down ready to fight.

Sakura was about to step forward when Shikamaru called out from behind her.

"Sai! Choji! Get Hiro to the bunker and guard him with your life!"

Choji and Sai looked baffled at the sudden order and did not move from their spots.

"What the hell are you, crazy?!" Choji yelled, apprehension etched onto his features. "It's four on one! If we all fight here, there's no way we can lose!"

"I agree," Sai said calmly.

"Listen, protecting Hiro is our main objective. We need to get him to safety before he gets hurt. With both of your guys' abilities you two are the best out of us to guard him." Shikamaru replied, aggravated.

Choji and Sai hesitated for a brief second before nodding in understanding.

"Ino! Naruto is on his own with an unknown enemy on his tail. Go after them and help Naruto protect Molly!" Ino nodded, confidence written on her face.

"Sakura! You are here with me! We won't allow this woman to get to the bunker!" Sakura nodded in understanding without breaking eye contact with Kira.

Shikamaru looked around at his teammates and friends briefly before he returned his eyes to Kira.

"NOW GO!" Shikamaru yelled out as the group scattered.

Choji and Sai ran towards the bunker in a quick pace with Hiro in tow. Ino dashed away from Sakura as she jumped up and over the courtyard wall, breaking from sight just as Naruto had done earlier. Shikamaru walked up to stand next to Sakura as Kira stood, calmly watching as the group scattered in different directions.

"Splitting up? Is that really the best strategy?" Kira asked mockingly.

Shikamaru stood quietly never breaking eye contact as he ignored the young woman's question.

"What do you want here? Why send your partner after my friend?" Shikamaru asked calmly. "He's nowhere near where your target is."

Kira smirked and flicked her wet hair out of her face.

"Don't worry about it kid you have no idea what our target is. Just know that you picked the wrong chick to pick a fight with tonight," Kira spoke scornfully.

Sakura gritted her teeth angrily, causing them to crackle slightly. The tone this woman was using was beginning to get on her nerves.

"I don't know who you are or what the hell you want, but the Five Nations are under a truce. Whatever Nation and village you are affiliated with will be persecuted for your actions!" Sakura spoke, her fists balled. "Stand down!"

Kira giggled quietly to herself before gripping her sides and bursting out in full blown laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh man, you must be the funny one, eh, pinky?" Kira asked mockingly. "If you think I give a shit about some stupid-ass truce… well then you're dumber than you look!"

Sakura growled in annoyance and took a step forward to attack the cocky harlot when Shikamaru's arm reached out, blocking her path.

"Calm down, Sakura. You're better than to let the enemy get in your head," Shikamaru spoke calmly, never looking away from Kira.

Sakura glanced back at Kira, then took a deep breath.

"Right," Sakura whispered out quietly as she collected herself.

"Well… since you two seem to want to play…" Kira smirked and flicked her drenched hair out of her face. "Why not play!?"

Kira regained her fighting stance before disappearing in a flicker. Sakura and Shikamaru both quickly shifted into fighting stances back to back waiting for the enemy's attack. The rain seemed to fall even harder as the wind began to pick up. The cold liquid that fell around them iced the skin and made it hard to see. Sakura squinted her eyes as she looked in every direction for Kira.

"Do you want to know why we waited so long to attack after our first attempt?" Kira's voice whispered through the downfall.

A quick slash of what looked like water lashed out from the blackness of the night at Shika and Sakura, causing both to jump apart to avoid being cut in half. The attack collided with the ground, leaving a deep gash in the earth that instantly began to fill with falling rain.

Shikamaru looked around at his surroundings slowly, trying to catch any movement in the downpour. He narrowed his eyes in frustration as he placed his right hand on his kunai holder. Without knowing where the enemy was he couldn't attack, but he sure as hell could defend.

"You were gathering yourselves?" Shikamaru asked in an almost uninterested tone.

A slight giggle echoed around himself and Sakura.

Another slash of water came out of nowhere, trying to slice Sakura's body in half. With a quick jump, she back flipped over the water blade as it past under her. Sakura landed on her feet as water splashed up from her impact on the ground. Sakura once again began to scan the area for Kira, but to no avail.

Sakura growled in frustration.

"No… The reason my Sister and I waited until tonight to attack again was because of one very important fact." Kira called out over the rain. Her voice sounding as if it was coming from every direction at once.

Suddenly, Shikamaru froze as he felt a presence suddenly appear behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Kira standing behind him with her hands in a seal.

"My affinity is water," Kira whispered menacingly. "Water Style: Razor Droplet Jutsu!"

With a large inhale and exhale, Kira sent out hundreds of water spikes straight into Shikamaru's back. Simultaneously, a small capsule dropped from Shikamaru's hand and fell to the ground beside him. It ignited and created a large flash bang, blinding Kira and Sakura. Sakura raised her arms over her face and eyes to help shield from the blinding light that had illuminated the battle field.

"SHIKAMARU!"

-Forest Outside Compound –

An orange-and-black blur moved through the trees with great speed as it made its way away from the great swordmaker's home. The front gate of the compound was now a half mile behind the figure, who showed no intention of slowing down. The rain continued to fall all around, thick and heavy drops drenching everything they came in contact with.

"Naruto-Sama," Molly whispered into Naruto's ear while still clinging to his back.

"Hm," Naruto grunted as he kept his attention on the damp tree branches ahead, using chakra to keep from slipping on the slick surfaces.

"Where are we going… and where's Daddy?" Molly squeaked, not bothering to hide the fear in her voice.

At hearing the distress in his young passenger's voice, Naruto looked over his shoulder and sent a warm, calming smile to Molly.

"I'm taking you to the Hidden Rain village that's not too far away from here. You will be safe there. As for your dad… he's fine! With my friends guarding him, you don't have to worry. You'll see him soon!" He turned back to the trees ahead.

Molly didn't respond to Naruto's words of encouragement, but rather buried her face into the back of his shoulder to help protect herself from the chilling storm. Her emotions had been shot from the events of the night; for now, she would believe him without question.

They continued to move along the wet terrain of trees for a couple of minutes before Molly felt Naruto's muscles tense underneath her. She looked up from his shoulder to look at the side of Naruto's face. He seemed bothered by something.

"What's wrong, Naruto-Sama?" Molly asked in a worried tone as Naruto looked back at her with focused eyes.

He didn't answer her question and kept his gaze upon her. His eyes seemed to be looking over the top of her head back down the path which they had just traveled. He looked concerned.

"Molly," Naruto whispered out just loud enough for her to hear. "I want you to read my mind. I'll communicate to you that way."

"W…what? Why?" Molly asked, confused.

Naruto didn't reply. He turned his vision back towards the path and he seemed to pick up the pace slightly. His grip on Molly's legs tightened and his movements became much more focused.

Molly chose to finally comply with Naruto's request and focused on her mark, activating it. There was a moment of silence before Naruto began to think.

"_Molly… If you're reading my thoughts, squeeze my arm,"_ Naruto thought in a confident tone.

Molly complied with his request and reached over and squeezed his arm before returning to her previous resting position with her arms around his neck.

"_Okay, good. Now Molly, what I'm about to tell you is very important. Please do not panic and stay calm." _Naruto thought sternly, a tinge of concern in its undertone.

Molly didn't say anything as she waited for Naruto to continue, which he did after a brief moment.

"_We're being followed… I picked up their chakra a few moments ago. They're moving quickly and will reach us in a few minutes. Now listen very, very carefully, Molly…" _

Naruto moved his hand together, creating a cross.

"Kage Bunshin No Jutsu," Naruto spoke out quietly as five clones puffed to life around him. Two of the clones dashed away from the original into the blackness of the forest, fading completely from sight. The last three clones created a triangle formation around Naruto as they continued to move through the trees.

"_I don't know what this person wants and I may have to fight back if they are hostile. So, Molly… if I have to fight this person, I want you to find the best hiding spot you possibly can…Okay? And no matter what happens… Do not leave that hiding spot until I say it's safe, okay?" _

Molly nodded slightly and gulped hard. She had no idea what to think or do. All she could do was to listen to Naruto… and pray this person following them was just a guard from home.

Naruto continued on his path, jumping from one branch to the other, his pace smooth and determined. His attention was fully on the chakra signature that was gaining on him. The chakra felt calm and untainted… At first guess, Naruto would say this mystery pursuer was friendly.

Naruto jumped from a branch to another before his thoughts were cut short by a sudden sound.

(SNAP!)

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks on the branch and quickly looked down at his feet. A silver wire and been tied to the tree trunk and the branch he just landed on.

"_TRIP WIRE?!" _Naruto screamed mentally_. _

Naruto jumped down from the branch just as hundreds of steel-headed arrows shot out from the blackness of the forest. They impacted against the trees with loud thuds and cracks, piercing the wood. Naruto's clones were engulfed from the onslaught of arrows and poofed out of existence. Naruto plummeted to the forest floor, spinning and contorting his body in mid air to avoid the hundreds of arrows that flew by him. Molly screamed in terror.

An arrow sliced a small cut on Naruto's cheek just as he landed on the floor. The hail of arrows immediately stopped upon his impact, leaving nothing but the whistling trees and heavy rain to fill the air.

Naruto looked up towards the tall trees above, his left eye slightly squinted. The pain on his now slightly injured cheek caused some discomfort. Naruto's eyes grew wide at seeing the havoc he had just nearly escaped.

Thousands of arrows riddled the trees above. They seemed to have come from every direction… a true dead man's trap.

"_Wow… that was to close for comfort," _Naruto thought in an aggravated tone.

"You're very skilled to have been able to escape my trap with nothing but a mere scratch." A monotone voice spoke from above and behind Naruto.

Naruto flinched and quickly turned and looked up to see who had just spoken up. He squinted his eyes to see through the rain. A lone woman stood on a branch just outside the attack radius of her trap.

"Who the fuck are you!? And what the hell's your problem!?" Naruto barked, pointing at her aggressively.

The woman jumped down from her position on the branch above and landed on the forest floor a few feet in front of Naruto.

"You were so caught up on my clone, I was sure that my trap would kill you," she spoke calmly, choosing to ignore Naruto's questions.

Naruto growled, annoyed at having been ignored so nonchalantly. He then registered what the woman just said. He tried to locate the chakra that had been pursuing him before the trap… but he couldn't find it.

"_Little bitch… she tricked me," _Naruto thought in a sly tone._ "She made me focus on what was behind me instead of the trap that was in front… She's smart."_

Naruto narrowed his eyes at this woman, choosing now to look her over as she stood motionless in front of him.

She was a fairly tall young woman, no older than 25. She was wearing a black hood that she currently had pulled up over her head. The hood was connected to what seemed like a scarf that was wrapped loosely around her neck. Underneath the hood, Naruto could see she had shoulder-length dull red hair. Her face was pale and her eyes were pupil-less black. She had a nose piercing on her left nostril that was a ring. Her choice of attire outside the black hooded scarf was a red sleeveless top with absolutely no significant markings. On her arms she wore black elbow sleeves and a leather glove on her right hand. She had on black cargo pants that were ripped at the knees. Her red shinobi sandals were bright and matched her top.

What caught Naruto's eye the most though was the bow she had slung over her left shoulder and the quick access arrow holder strapped to her back. Naruto narrowed his eyes and glared at the woman.

"So you were the one who shot the explosive arrow in Molly's room earlier," Naruto said in a low cold tone, his teeth gritting with a crackle.

"Yes… I knew it wouldn't kill you, but I needed to get you moving." The young woman spoke in a monotone voice, her eyes showing absolutely no emotion.

Naruto raised a brow in confusion.

"Get us moving? What the hell are you talking about!? We are nowhere near Hiro or his library, so why would you need to get us moving and then pursue us!?" Naruto asked, frustrated. There was a sinking feeling beginning to form in his stomach.

"Nowhere near my target? I don't know what you mean… My target is right in front of me, Uzumaki-San."

Naruto flinched and took a step backwards at hearing his name.

"What do you mean!? How do you know my name!?" Naruto asked in flustered confusion.

The young woman across from him smiled slightly and shook her head slowly.

"You sure do ask a lot of questions, don't you?" she asked calmly, but receiving no answer from Naruto, who continued to glare. "Well… to answer one… no we have never met… But I do know who you are, Naruto… or should I say… Blazing Angel of Konoha."

Naruto furrowed his brow and began to lower his body to allow Molly to slide off onto the ground. Naruto never broke eye contact with his attacker. He bent down on one knee as Molly stood behind him.

"_She knows me from the bingo book, it would seem," _Naruto thought calmly.

"What do you want…? We were no longer a threat to you once we left Hiro's compound," Naruto questioned aggressively.

"_I've got a bad feeling I won't like the answer to that question," _Naruto thought with slight worry.

Haru looked at Naruto for a brief moment before she rolled her shoulder, allowing her bow to fall into her hand off of her shoulder. Returning her gaze to Naruto, her eyes became more focused and much more threatening.

"Our target was never Hiro, Naruto-San…" Haru spoke out calmly as her grip on the bow tightened ready to make her move.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, absorbing the information. His fists tightened little pops emanating from the knuckles.

"_She's after Molly…" _

Naruto shot a glance behind him to see Molly was still standing behind him, cowering. He could see she had just read his thoughts and the young girl's fear had grown tenfold. Naruto quickly returned his focus back to Haru, who stood with her bow still at her side in her right hand.

"_Molly… it's about time you go find that hiding place I told you about, okay?" _Naruto ordered mentally while he began to ready himself for the upcoming battle.

Molly turned and was about to run when an arrow connected with the ground right in front of her.

"AHHHHH!"Molly screamed as she fell backwards onto her bottom.

Naruto flinched from the scream and he looked quickly behind him to see the arrow. He then shot his head towards the tree tops to find where the arrow had come from, scanning the trees. It didn't take Naruto long to see an exact copy of Haru standing with her bow out stretched showing she had fired the shot.

"W…WHAT!?" Naruto asked out in confusion as he glanced between the two women quickly.

"Try to get away again, little girl, and that arrow won't miss." The Haru in the tree tops spoke out calmly, but full of killing intent.

Molly gulped loudly as she turned her head to look at Naruto with complete fear in her eyes, pleading emotionally for him to provide the answer to their current predicament. Naruto looked back at Molly with stone cold eyes. Molly gulped again.

"You can use shadow clones, huh?" Naruto asked out as he looked from the original Haru to the clone in the trees. "That's really impressive, actually… not many people have the chakra to use them."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and sneered slyly.

"But I'm sure you know already that I can use shadows clones, as well….and I'm sure ten times better than you can."

"Enough talk, Uzumaki-San… Give me the girl or face your fate," Haru said, her voice aggressive, yet monotone.

"HAH! You know who I am, and yet you're making threats; you must be really dum-" Naruto mocked, but was cut off as Haru shot an arrow at him with a blur of movement from her bow. Naruto jumped back, grabbing Molly, and skidded a few feet as 3 arrows stuck into the ground in a line.

"_She's fast!" _Naruto realized as he jumped once again as the clone above began to pierce the earth and trees with arrows directed towards him. He took to the trees as the onslaught of arrows continued, never ending. The whistles and cracks of their impacts were sending chills down his spine.

"_FUCK! I can't even fight back right now! I got to get Molly somewhere safe!' _Naruto thought while jumping and twisting through the trees as the arrows whistled by daring Naruto to slip up.

Naruto dashed forward as quickly as he could. The rain and wind whistled past him in a blur. He kept his pace up until he was in a clearing, away from his attacker. She was gone for now, but he knew she was close on his tail. In the clearing was a small cave against the hillside that was shrouded by some trees. The cliff stretched upwards some hundred yards. It looked slick and menacing in the black sky and pouring rain.

"Molly! Stay in here until I come and get you, okay?" Naruto barked out as he pushed the large branches that were concealing the entrance out of the way.

Molly nodded as she slipped out of Naruto's arms and ran into the cave. She turned to see Naruto beginning to cover the entrance.

"Naruto-Sama…" Molly whispered out just loud enough to catch Naruto's attention, halting him from his task. "…be careful."

Naruto nodded firmly, sending the young girl a warm smile and a thumbs up.

"Always," Naruto respond sweetly.

With that being said, Naruto pushed the bushes forward, blocking the entrance completely from sight. Naruto turned and dash forward and into the trees. He needed to make sure whoever this woman was or what she wanted with Molly….she was going to fail.

"_I must protect Molly….Even if I have doubts….I can't fail again!" _Naruto gulped dryly, the knot he had in his throat clearing for the moment. Naruto was brought back to earth as an arrow pierced the blackness in front of him, flying straight for his head. With a quick duck, Naruto was able to dodge the arrow and slide to a stop on a large branch. He focused his eyes on the darkness around him, trying his best to see through the rain.

"Your movements are quick, Uzumaki-San… Not many people can outrun me, let alone dodge my arrows," Haru's voice came from the darkness in front of him.

Naruto smirked as Haru decided to step out of the shadows and into the moonlight that made its way through the trees.

"Thanks… You know, you're not bad with that bow either… managed to nick me on the cheek earlier." Naruto spoke in a calm tone, his eyes never loosing focus on the bow in her right hand.

"Yes… Well, I will be sure to do a lot more than nick you next time." Haru raised her bow once again to begin the fight once more.

Naruto gulped as his knuckles popped and his body shook with anticipation.

"_H… here we go," _Naruto thought weakly as he tried to calm his breaths._ "Let's see what I got… and more importantly… what you got, bitch."_

Haru launched the first strike with a quick hand, sending an arrow straight for Naruto's neck and then jumping herself upwards to a higher branch before sending another two more arrows with chakra infused into the tips.

Naruto was quick on his feet as well. With a flick of his right hand, he drew a kunai from his easy-access pouch and blocked the first arrow with a loud clang. He then backflipped off of the branch, grabbing it with his left hand and pulling himself below it as the two chakra arrows impacted the branch, cracking it loudly. Naruto swung himself off of the branch and, in midair, sent his own barrage of kunais and shuriken swirling and twisting through the air at Haru.

Haru jumped from one branch to another as the sharp steel thrown by Naruto rattled the tree where she formally stood with their impact. She jumped quickly from her landing spot and dashed forward into the air towards Naruto. Pulling a blade from her own access pouch on her thigh, she swung forward at Naruto, who blocked her attack with his own kunai.

Eyes locked as blades connected. They glared at each other as they plummeted to the forest floor. Their attacks and counters rattled off as kicks and slashes from their weapons filled the air with the sounds of their impacts.

Naruto threw an elbow at Haru; it connected with her chin and sent her backwards and into the tree truck behind her, forming a dent in its large frame. Naruto spun in the air and landed on the ground swiftly as he looked up with a smirk at having finally connected a blow on the woman.

(POOF)

The Haru who was connected with the tree poofed away, leaving nothing but white smoke.

"WHAT?!" Naruto gasped out as his eyes grew wide.

"Too late…" Naruto heard a menacing voice from behind him.

With a quick twist of his head, Naruto saw that Haru had already shot her arrow and it was mere inches away from ending Naruto's life.

"_FUCK!"_ Naruto thought quickly as he twisted his body around raising his arms over his face as a last ditch effort to protect himself.

"You lose!" Haru called out just as the arrow impacted Naruto's arms.

Haru smirked, but it quickly fell as the arrow shattered as it connected with Naruto's arms. Haru was baffled and could only stare in awe at what just happened.

"_W….WHAT!? That arrow hit him right on! How did it shatter!?"_ Haru disbelievingly as the grip on her bow tightened.

Naruto stayed in his protected position for a few more seconds before his shoulders shook.

"Hahaha…" Naruto laughed quietly to himself.

He lowered his arms slowly, revealing sharp yellow eyes with rectangular pupils. Naruto stared up towards Haru with a sly smile on his face.

"W…what is that!?" Haru asked out in a baffled tone as she stared into Naruto's eyes.

"This….this is Sage Mode." Naruto whispered out in a calm tone. "And as of right now… I'm through playing around."

Haru bared her teeth a low growl escaping out through her anger.

"_Phew!" _Naruto thought in relief. _"I'm glad I had those two clones run off earlier and start gathering Nature energy or I'd be screwed! Now I have to just manage my jutsu and save my Fox Cloak just in case."_

Haru started her barrage of arrows once again but this time making sure to infuse the tips with chakra. Naruto's Nature Chakra might have made his skin tougher, but a chakra-infused arrow could pierce just about anything.

Naruto jumped and dodged his way through the hail of metal and wood that rained down upon him. He was making his way closer towards Haru as he himself threw his shuriken and kunai. Naruto needed to get in close... long range battle was not his strong suit.

"**Naruto…" **Kurama called out from the recesses of Naruto's mind.

"_Yo?"_ Naruto called out as he continued to attack and counter his way closer towards Haru.

"**Something's wrong, Kit… Your chakra network is on the fritz!" **Kumara informed, concern etched in his voice.

Naruto twirled in the air and sent three kunai slicing through the air towards Haru, who jumped back, allowing the cold steel to impact the branch she previously occupied.

"_What do you mean? I feel fine,"_ Naruto thought as he tried to keep the majority of his focus on Haru who continued with her onslaught of arrows.

"**I don't know… I'm trying to gather chakra for the cloak if we need it… and I can't! It's like my chakra and that of the rest of the demons are being blocked. The chakra gates aren't sealed… but your chakra won't move… It's like it's…frozen." **

Naruto blocked another of Haru's arrows, bringing him just a few trees away from her. He was finally close enough to fight back effectively.

"_Well, find out what's wrong and fix it! 'Cuz I'm a little busy here feeding this bitch my rasengan! _Naruto thought in irritation.

"**WAIT, NARUTO!" **Kurama yelled out, trying to hold off Naruto's attack, but his plea fell on deaf ears.

Naruto jumped forward, bringing his hands together as he called out over the rain.

"Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!" Naruto yelled out as he soared through the air ever closer to Haru.

There was a brief moment of hesitation on both sides as Naruto moved through the air before Naruto realized the horrible realization of what just happened…his jutsu didn't activate.

"_WHAT THE FUCK!? WHERE'S MY CLONE!?" _Naruto thought in horror as he looked into the eyes of Haru who seemed quite content about something.

Naruto tried to recover from his moment of shock as he finally reached Haru from his jump, but was unable to block the kick the Haru aimed at his ribs. Naruto was sent flying as the sound of a crack could be heard with the impact.

"AGHHH!" Naruto yelled out in pain as he crashed end over end through the tree branches before colliding with the forest floor and skidding to a halt in the damp mud.

Naruto wheezed in pain as he grasped the mud below him squeezing it tight and having it seep from between his fingers. He looked up from the damp earth to see Haru standing above him in the trees with a large smile plastered on her face.

"I was waiting for you to finally try and activate one of your justus," Haru spoke out mockingly as she raised her hand and pulled her drenched bangs behind her ear.

Naruto growled and narrowed his eyes. He raised his body off of the cold wet floor slowly with one arm while the other wrapped around his throbbing left ribs. He picked himself up into a kneeling position as the rain washed away the mud that lined his clothes.

"You…. (COUGH)… what did you DO to me?!" Naruto growled out in anger trying his best to calm his breathing as he coughed out blood.

Haru narrowed her eyes as the smile on her face grew even wider. The look on her face made Naruto sick with anger.

"The slash on your cheek…does it sting?" Haru asked in a snicker.

Naruto stared quietly for a brief moment as realization set in.

"_The….the cut!" _Naruto thought in shock.

"It's my own special type of paralysis poison. You see, instead of freezing the body… it constricts the chakra network leaving it unusable." Haru informed, the wide smile still on her face.

"…_.Shit," _Naruto thought in a growl.

"Now your justus are useless, and with your chakra flow stilled… your sage mode is useless… Such a pity… Well, for you, anyway," Haru mocked.

Naruto gulped a dry breath as he raised himself to his feet, allowing his arm to drop back down to his side. Naruto spat out the last bit of blood from his mouth as he glared. Naruto might have seemed calm on the outside…but on the inside was a completely different story.

"**That's not good, Kit. Without your chakra network, not only can we not use jutsu… but I can't even heal you." **Kurama spoke out in concern.

"_You think I don't know that? My cracked ribs know that much! Ahhhhh, FUCK! What the fuck am I gonna do!? I knew I wasn't ready! I should have stayed home and …and."_

"**Naruto, calm down!" **Chomei (7 Tails) called out from Naruto's mind.

"_How!? Without my chakra, I'm screwed! This woman's got me when it comes to weapons and long range! There's nothing I can do right now!" _Naruto yelled in frustration.

"**Naruto… I might be able to counter the poison in your system," **Chomei said happily.

"_WHAT, REALLY!?"_ Naruto asked loudly in excitement.

"**Yes… but I'll need time. I've never seen this kind of poison before. If you can keep yourself from dying for a little while, I'll have you back to 100% in no time!" **Chomei said cheerfully.

Naruto sweat-dropped at how nonchalantly she mentioned his death.

"_I'll get you that time, Chomei! I hope…" _Naruto informed with slight doubt in his tone.

"**And I'll continue building my chakra. When Chomei's done, we'll go full fox and waste this bitch!" **Kurama informed confidently, earning a wide grin from Naruto.

Naruto returned his focus to the outer world just in time to see an arrow heading straight for him. With a quick step to the side, Naruto casually avoided the arrow, which landed next to him. He looked up through the rain at Haru, who still had her wide grin on her face. She lowered her bow as she snickered.

"Still planning to fight back even without your justus?" Haru asked mockingly, earning a snarl from Naruto.

Naruto balled his fists, readying himself to yell back in anger, when he picked up a familiar chakra approaching fast from behind Haru.

"_Seems like even though I can't use the full abilities of my Sage chakra, I can still use the sensory skills it gives me." _Naruto thought cheerfully.

Naruto calmed himself as he looked up at Haru with a smirk on his face. This caused Haru to drop her smile and raise a brow at Naruto's sudden mood swing.

"I won't have to use my justus to beat you." Naruto said calmly as the grin on his face grew even wider.

"And why's that?" Haru asked apprehensively as she raised her brow higher.

"Because he has me, whore!" A voice yelled out from behind Haru.

Haru turned quickly with just enough time to see hundreds of water shuriken slicing through the rainfall at blurring speed, heading right towards her.

The shuriken connected with Haru, slicing and impaling her over and over as blood and fabric ripped from her body. After a brief moment the jutsu was over, and Haru's limp and shredded body fell from the tree and plummeted towards the earth. With its descent, a loud poof was heard as the Haru clone disappeared.

Just as it vanished, a dark figure landed on one of the high branches above. The rain and darkness concealed most of her from sight, but Naruto didn't have to see her to know who it was.

"Damn… just a clone!" The figure spoke with a loud humph. "Sorry I'm late, Naruto-Kun. You sure travel fast!"

Naruto laughed slightly before sending his dark savior a large toothy grin and spoke with a relieved tone.

"Late!? What are you talking about? …You're right on time, Ino."

-END CHAPTER 7-

AN: Ya so I don't really know what Ino's affinity is… so I'm going to go with water. Just seems to fit her. Hope you all enjoyed and look forward to your reviews as usual! See you next month on the First! :D


	9. Chapter 8 I'll Find You

AN (I KNOW I KNOW…the chapter's late! …I'm sorry…. I was induced into an alcohol comma from Halloween….so again…. I'm sorry! On the bright side, this is my longest chapter ever! ALSO!… Some very sad news, indeed, my fellow Naruto fans. The ending of the Naruto manga is approaching on the 10th of November or the 6th if you read the chapters early. This is disheartening news but I have no doubt Naruto will live on. With our stories and dedication, Naruto will never end! HUZZAH! )

Chapter 8: I'll Find You…

Ino jumped down from her position on the tree tops to the forest floor. She elegantly lands in front of Naruto and looks up at him with a wide smile.

"Thought you could use some help, Naruto-Kun!" Ino says happily as she flicks her hair out of the way.

Naruto smiles widely as he shoots a thumbs-up her direction.

"Thank you, Ino!" Naruto replies loudly before letting his smile fall into a more serious expression.

Ino walks over towards Naruto, who has turned his attention away from her to the trees above. Ino turns and forms a back-to-back position with Naruto as she as well begins to scan the area closely.

"So, did you hear what she said?" Naruto asks sternly, never taking his eyes away from the trees, trying to spot Haru.

"No," Ino replies in a questioning tone, shooting a glance back at Naruto. "What did I miss?"

"The people who attacked us aren't after Hiro or his library at all," Naruto spoke sternly, still scanning the trees. "They're after Molly."

Ino glanced over her shoulder with a raised brow as she studied Naruto's face.

"What!? Why?" Ino asked apprehensively. "She's just a little girl."

"I…. I don't really know myself… It's hard to explain as of right now, Ino. Just know that it would be in our best interest to keep her safe and out of this woman's hands," Naruto informed, never looking away from the trees.

Ino gulped slightly and could feel a knot beginning to form in her stomach. Something was not right about this… she could feel it.

"Also, now that I can't use my chakra for the moment, I'm very much handicapped. You'll have to take the lead in this fight Ino. I'll have your back, though!" Naruto spoke confidently.

Ino flinched at this before turning to look at Naruto once again. She looked him up and down before seeing the small cut on his cheek. She narrowed her eyes. It was puffy and the area around it was slightly discolored. It was obvious to any medical ninja that the blade that made the injury had been laced with a toxin.

"You've been poisoned, Naruto-Kun…" Ino whispered out as she reached for her medical pouch on her lower back.

Naruto quickly grasped her wrist gently before she was able to pull out her medical materials. Ino looked from his hand to his face with a confused look on her own. Naruto still kept his eyes on the surroundings.

"Yes, but don't worry about it. Chomei is already working on an antitoxin that will allow me to use my chakra once again." Naruto spoke in a soft voice with a slight smile on his face.

"Ch…Chomei?" Ino asked with a raised brow.

"She's the Seven Tails that's sealed inside of me." Naruto said calmly. "She's part insect, so she knows quite a lot about venom and poisons. She'll have me back to normal in no time! So just worry about yourself and Molly right now, okay?"

Ino looked at Naruto with concern in her eyes, but decided to acknowledge his plea. Despite their friendship, he was still her superior, and she would follow orders. Ino then realized they were missing a very important component of their plan.

"Where _is_ Molly, anyway?" Ino asked as she glanced around the dark forest.

"Safe… or at least hiding, I should say." Naruto let his half-smile drop.

An arrow rocketed out of the darkness towards Ino. She flinched and swiftly ducked; the arrow soared over her head, impacting the trees a few yards behind her. Ino stayed low as Naruto began to speak again.

"Our enemy specializes in long-range to mid-range fighting. Her arrows are laced with a poison that attacks the chakra network. Do not let it hit you," Naruto ordered calmly. "Her ace in the hole is clones, just like me. If you land a blow on her, be careful that's it's not just a fake."

Ino nodded and readied herself for the incoming fight. With Naruto somewhat out of commission, it was up to her to take over as the lead.

"I got your back until you can fight properly again," Ino said with a smirk, earning a smile from Naruto.

Haru jumped forward from the darkness of the trees, her bow already pulled back and aimed towards the blond duo. She smirked slyly as the rain prickled on her head and streaked across her face.

"You know, you almost got me with that water jutsu," Haru said calmly. "Although you lack discipline… if you surrender, I will spare your lives."

Ino glared and let a slight growl reach her lips. She balled her fist and shook slightly at the insult to her skills.

"HAH, AS IF!" Ino hollered before scoffing. "Just be lucky you got away! I won't let it happen twice, you bitch!"

Haru focused her eyes as another discomforting smile graced her face.

"As you wish…" Haru whispered.

On cue, Haru clone after Haru clone stepped out of the darkness of the forest in the trees above. They circled Naruto and Ino, all with their bows drawn and ready for attack. The tips of the arrows glowed with chakra and flickered in the night air.

"Th…that's a lot of clones!" Ino whimpered out.

Naruto let his shoulders slouch as he looked up at the threat.

'_Brilliant…' _Naruto thought with sarcasm.

Naruto made an effort to run for cover, but found that he was unable to move his feet. He quickly looked downwards to see that the mud on the ground was surrounding his feet, sucking him in.

'_A Mud Floor jutsu!' _Naruto thought in shock.

Ino tried as well to escape from the incoming attack, but found her feet were also encircled by the black forest floor. She yanked and pulled aggressively, trying to get away.

"SHIT!" Ino yelled in anger as well as fear.

"Secret Ninja Art: Mud Coffin Jutsu!" Haru yelled loudly before laughing.

The Harus let the arrows fly. They whistled in air, flying deadly quick towards Naruto and Ino. Naruto flinched and protected himself with his arms once again. The best he could hope for was that his rough Sage skin could protect his vital organs.

Ino blinked before calming herself. With quick thinking, Ino weaved through hand signs at blurring speed before slamming her palms onto the muddy forest floor.

"Water Style: Glacier Wall Jutsu!" Ino yelled out.

Just as the arrows were about to reach their target, a large wall made of ice shot from the forest floor and created a dome around Naruto and Ino. She continued to pump chakra into the wall as the arrows impacted and pierced the ice. The cracking and rattling of the wall shook Ino slightly, but her jutsu held as the attack subsided. Naruto quickly dropped his arms and looked around, his eyes wide at the sudden appearance of the large icy protector.

"N… nice job, Ino… That was close," Naruto spoke out in a shaky voice.

"Hah! I told you I would have your back, Naruto-Kun!" Ino said sweetly as she lifted herself back to her feet. "Now for this stupid mud!"

Ino went through a new set of hand signs before stopping and clenching her fits tightly.

("Water Style: Ice Knuckles Jutsu!")

A thin layer of ice manifested itself over Ino's fists, making them slightly sparkly. Ino quickly brought her left fist down onto the floor with a heavy punch, making it crack and shatter away from their feet. Ino smirked with delight that her jutsus had worked.

"Humph, stupid trick that bitch just pulled!" Ino growled in annoyance. "You okay, Naruto-Kun?"

She turned and looked over at Naruto, who had a look of awe on his face. He stared at her wide eyed with his mouth agape. His feet were now free but he still stood in the same position he had.

"…..Naruto-Kun?" Ino asked with a raised eyebrow.

Naruto shook his head, realizing he was staring and quickly blushed and turned away.

"N…Nice job, Ino…. I owe you one," Naruto said quietly, trying to get the blush from his cheeks.

"_Since when did Ino learn all these jutsus?" _Naruto thought in shock.

Ino smirked to herself, happy to see Naruto was impressed with her abilities. With a raised hand, Ino flashed a hand sign allowing the ice wall that was encircling them to crumble and dissipate. With the wall now completely gone, Naruto and Ino looked back up to the trees, expecting to see a stunned Haru. Yet to their surprise, there was no one there. The clones were gone as well as the original.

"She's fled into the trees again," Ino mumbled out in annoyance.

Naruto and Ino jumped back and up to the trees themselves, retreating a few dozen yards before coming to a stop on a large branch. If their opponent was going to use the darkness of the night to her advantage and stay hidden until it was time to attack, then so were they.

Naruto was about to speak before his eyes flickered and waivered. Not long after, his yellow irises and red hued eyelids faded before finally dissipating completely, leaving his natural blue orbs. Naruto grunted in annoyance as he looked to his side at Ino.

"My Sage chakra is gone… seems the poison that's constricting my chakra shortened its lifespan drastically. And with my other clone that was collecting Nature Energy being dispelled, in my current state, I'm officially baggage for you," Naruto said sourly.

Ino looked back at Naruto, staring at him briefly before grunting in exasperation.

"Well, this situation just keeps getting better and better," she grumbled sarcastically. "So…what now?"

Naruto pondered the question for a few moments. The brief hiatus that was taking place in their fight at the moment was just what Naruto needed in order to get his bearings.

"We need to get out of these trees, it's too dense and it gives her an advantage over us with her trap style jutsus. There was a small clearing about 500 yards from here. If we can get her out in the open, the advantage will swing in our favor dramatically." Naruto spoke confidently, his eyes going back to the darkness around them, scanning for Haru in the dark tree line.

"Alright… Lead the way, Naruto-Kun," Ino responded, giving a confident nod for emphases.

Naruto nodded and with a swift jump, they were off, their movements quick as they seemed to flicker through the tree line. They had no need to look back as the familiar presence of their enemy was hot on their tail.

'_The only downside is… we will be leading her right to Molly," _Naruto thought in a worried tone_._

After a brief moment, they reached the clearing where Naruto had hidden Molly earlier. The duo jumped forward and out of the trees and then skidded to a stop in the clearing that was coated in damp mud. They turned back to where they had previously just traveled, waiting for Haru to emerge.

Ino took a brief moment to look over her surroundings noticing the large cliff behind her and the mossy overgrowth that was towards the lower hillside of the massive rock. Ino noted how something didn't seem right about it.

Naruto glanced to his side to see Ino looking upon the cliff calculatingly.

"Molly is hidden in a cave at the bottom of the cliff behind us…" Naruto enlightened. "Do not let anything happen to her and keep the enemy away."

Ino wrenched her head back towards Naruto with complete shock in her eyes.

"SHE'S WHAT!? Why would you lead her right to Mol-!?" Ino blurted out but her sentence was stricken short as another figure entered the clearing in front of them.

Haru skid to a stop a few yards in front of the blond duo with a small smirk on her face that glistened from the rain that fell upon it, the water dripping from her chin.

"Done running?" Haru asked in a snicker.

Naruto stared blankly at Haru in a relaxed, upright-standing position.

"Something like that," Naruto spoke out softly.

Ino glanced from Haru back to Naruto with a flustered look on her face. She sighed out aggressively before resettling her attention on Haru.

'_Dammit Naruto-Kun, what the hell are you thinking?!" _Ino thought as she readied herself. _"Our job's to protect Molly, not lead the enemy right to her like it's a tour! Ugh, you better have a plan, Idiot!' _

There was a hush between the three shinobi as the rain fell around them. They all stood motionless, letting the ice cold drops from above crash upon them. Each side waited for the other side to act first. The cold night air was filled with wind and the sound of rain. The stillness was broken as Naruto quickly pulled and threw a kunai at Haru as he dashed to his left, away from Ino.

Ino launched her own slew of shuriken in sync with Naruto as she dashed to her right. With a quick draw, Haru shot a few arrows to block off the blades that sliced through the air towards her. As the weapons impacted with each other in the air, the high-pitched chime of metal hitting metal, Haru threw her bow over her shoulder and dashed to her left, the same direction as Ino.

Ino and Haru ran at each other with blades in hand. Kunai impacted Kunai, bringing both women to a halt. They stood eye to eye in a heated deadlock, each trying to overpower the other. After seeing their strength was evenly matched, both women jumped back and began to fly through hand signs simultaneously in midair.

"Water Style: Raging Dragon Jutsu!"

"Fire Style: Molten Serpent Jutsu!"

Both called out their techniques in unison as they landed 20 yards from each other. A large snake engulfed in fire burst forward from behind Haru and jolted in the air towards Ino. On the other side, a large dragon composed of water came to life in front of Ino. The water dragon roared out and launched forward, impacting with the blazing serpent in-between Ino and Haru.

The clash of jutsus sent out an explosion and shockwave that engulfed that battlefield. Ino and Haru were sent reeling backwards, end over end, from the blast. Ino collided with a boulder and it cracked and crumbled on impact. She winced as a streak of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth, her wet bangs sticking to her tattered face.

Haru tumbled back before she was able to catch her balance and skidded to a stop on her feet. Burns and scorch marks from the blast etched her face and body, making her wince, leaving only on eye half open. Just as she came to a stop, she was caught by surprise as a fist firmly planted itself on her left cheek. Her face rippled with the blow as blood from her mouth splattered out to the floor. Her body jerked to the side and she was sent soaring into a tree a few yards back. The bones of Haru's body crackled loudly as she impacted the tree, leaving a dent in its trunk.

Naruto pulled his arm back at his side, shaking it slightly to get rid of the stinging in his knuckles.

"Don't forget about me," Naruto said in a mocking tone, a small smirk evident on his face. "Even without my chakra, I still have some nasty Taijutsu to work with."

Haru coughed up blood as she stood up from her slouched position against the fractured tree. She leaned against it with her right hand as she tilted her head up slightly so she could glare at Naruto through her damp bangs. She growled and wiped the blood from her mouth with her free hand.

Naruto only watched with an amused look on his face.

"…Fucker," Haru growled, straitening herself from the tree.

Haru raised her hands and made a hand sign Naruto knew all too well.

"Kagebunshin No Jutsu," Haru whispered out.

Three clones popped to the left of Haru, all glaring daggers at Naruto. Naruto flinched and took a step backwards. He looked almost dazed by the jutsu, but calmed and readied himself as he lowered his body into a fighting stance. He quickly shot a glance behind him to see how Ino was doing. Ino was currently trying to pull her injured body off of the large boulder she had crashed into. She looked over to Naruto with a pained look on her face. Her left eye was closed while her right looked to be half open.

'_She's injured, but I can't blame her; not a lot of people can take a blast like that and stand back up.' _Naruto thought softly.

Ino collapsed to a knee, breathing raggedly as more blood slipped from her mouth.

'_Shit, I ruptured something,' _Ino thought in a pained tone. _'I'll need to fix it before fighting again.'_

She raised her hands to her abdomen, which was currently blotched with spots of dark purple and blue. Her hands began to glow with dark green chakra and hissed in the air. She winced in pain as she felt the tears on her insides beginning to mend.

'_Damn, a level 2 rupture… This will take time to fix,' _Ino thought in aggravation.

Ino glanced back up to Naruto who was still looking at her worriedly. Ino looked back before growing a serious and focused look. Naruto paused for a brief moment before nodding in understanding.

No words had been spoken, but Naruto had gotten the message.

'_Just buy me a little bit of time, Naruto-Kun… I'm so sorry. I was the one who was supposed to be buying you time…'_

Turning his attention back to Haru and the clones in front of him, Naruto furrowed his brow and shook in anger.

"I think it's time this fight comes to an end!" Naruto said heatedly as his knuckles popped.

Naruto's glare pierced the night air as the Haru clones all giggled softly.

"I couldn't agree more, Naruto-San, but what of your little girl toy over there? She isn't too broken from our little quarrel, is she?" the Haru clones said in Unison.

Naruto cracked his knuckles and drew his last kunai from his leg holster.

"Shut up, bitch!" Naruto growled out as he gestured for Haru to attack, kunai in his right hand.

The Haru clones lunged forward with blades drawn and ready to strike. With all three clones lashing out, Naruto back flipped and pushed off the ground with his hands propelling himself into the air. The Haru clones quickly recovered from the missed blow. Two clones jumped into the air after Naruto as the other clone stayed planted on the ground by the original.

Naruto lifted his kunai to block a swing from Haru's blade with a clang. The second Haru clone connected a strong kick to Naruto's back, sending him rocketing to the ground. He smashed into the earth with great force. Naruto coughed up blood from the impact as he rolled to his hands and knees. He quickly stood up and glared at the Haru group. The rain quickly washed away the blood that ran down Naruto's chin from his mouth.

"Your movements are slow and labored, Naruto-San. Seems the poison restricting your chakra is also wearing on your body as well," Haru spoke in a snickering tone.

Naruto glared as he readied himself again.

'_Dammit… she's right. My body is weakening from the lack of chakra. It won't be long before I can't even move little alone fight!" _Naruto thought in frustration.

"**Naruto-San!"** Chomei called out from Naruto's inner psyche.

Naruto jumped back as four arrows pierced the ground where he formally stood. Naruto planted his right foot into the mud to stop his momentum and change his direction. He charged forward at the Harus with his final Kunai in hand.

The four Harus swarmed Naruto as they fought in close quarter combat.

'_YA!?_' Naruto thought out as he did his best to attack and dodge the Harus swarming around him. His body was beginning to drag and tremble.

"**The anti-poison is complete!" **Chomei stated enthusiastically. **"I will inject it into your chakra network now and it should take affect after a few minutes!"**

Naruto raised his kunai to block a strike from Haru's blade. The two weapons connected but to Naruto's dismay his Kunai snapped. Naruto was taken off guard and was rocketed backwards from a stone cold uppercut from another clone that connected with his chin during his shock. Naruto was thrown back from the force and landed on his back roughly as the air was forced from his lungs. He slipped and skidded through the mud before finally stopping in a small rain puddle not far from the entrance to the cave Molly was using for her hiding space. 

Naruto slowly rolled to his knee placing one of his hands on the ground to keep from toppling over. His body trembled and ached, his breath was raspy and ragged and blood fell from the new gash on his chin caused by the punch. Naruto coughed as he tried to catch his breath. His eyes focused on the wet ground in front of him.

'_Nice job, Chomei! I knew I could count on you!' _Naruto thought enthusiastically.

Naruto looked up towards Haru with a smirk on his face that quickly changed to a shocked expression as a Haru cloned rocketed toward him with her fist pulled back. Naruto tried to move is body to counter but found his muscles wouldn't cooperate.

'_SHIT!' _

Haru put full force into her punch as it connected with Naruto's face. Naruto's face rippled with the strike and his body was flung back violently through the foliage that was covering the small entrance of the cave behind him. He tumbled head over heels before his back collided with the back stone wall of the cave with a loud crack. The stone wall creaked and chipped away with Naruto's impact. Dust fell from the ceiling, showing the force of the collision.

Naruto coughed up blood once more as he slowly lifted his head to look back out of the now exposed cave entrance. His left eye was now swollen shut with his right doing its best to see through the blurriness his fading consciousness was providing.

'_Come on! I just need a few more minutes and then my chakra will be back!' _Naruto thought while trying his best to fight the plunging darkness of unconsciousness that was encircling his mind and body. _'Just…a little bit… more…'_

Naruto was on the edge of slumber before a soft voice reached his ear bringing him back to earth.

"N…Naruto-Sama," A soft voice whimpered from the right edge of the cave.

Naruto turned his head slowly to see a cowering Molly in the corner of the blackness. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears; fear was stricken on her face as her shoulders trembled. Naruto stared at her for a brief moment, trying to get his head working through the haze.

'_Molly… W… Why is Molly here? She should be in the cave… The cave…' _

Naruto's eyes rocketed open

"I'M IN THE CAVE!" Naruto shouted in horror.

He had no time to react as the four Harus pushed the brush out of the way to allow them to easily walk through the entrance. The four stopped and smiled slyly at the banged up Naruto on the floor still leaning against the fractured wall. Then all four noticed the little girl that was balled up in the corner.

"AH! There you are, little Miru Hito of Purity!" she purred. "This made my search so much easier!"

'_Miru…Hito?' _Naruto though curiously.

Molly recoiled and tried to scoot herself farther into the cave, but didn't get very far before her body made contact with the cold wall behind her.

"NO! Stay back!" Molly hollered in fear as tears streamed down her face.

Haru made a move to walk closer to Molly before the three clones behind her burst into smoke. Haru flinched and twisted her head quickly to see what had caused the sudden disturbance. There, still standing on the outer edge of the cave letting the rain fall upon her body, was a smirking Ino. Her midsection was wrapped in gauze and medical tape to help cover the injury she sustained earlier.

"I believe the young lady said to stay away, whore," Ino said in a mockingly sweet tone.

Haru growled while Naruto smirked and let out a sigh of relief knowing Ino was ready to step in once again. His body was beginning to heal as the gash on his cheek and chin began to shrink as well. His broken ribs popped and creaked as they were pulled back into place. Naruto could feel it… he was almost ready.

Haru pulled her bow from off of her shoulder and reached behind her back to pull out another arrow from her holster, but found she was only grasping at air. Haru growled once again.

"It's been quite a while since the last time I used all of my arrows in a fight. How embarrassing," Haru whispered nonchalantly as she glared at the still-smirking Ino. "But no matter… I'm still far from being out of this fight."

Ino glanced over Haru's shoulder to see that Naruto was moving to stand again, and he look to be no worse for wear.

'_He's healing…his chakra is coming back!' _Ino thought happily as she did a little dance for joy in her head.

"Now… I wouldn't say that," Naruto whispered out mockingly.

Haru turned back to Naruto to see that he was standing, but not only that…

'_His… his wounds… they're gone!'_ Haru thought in shock, her eyes wide. '_H… How is that possible?!' _

Naruto began to bend and twist his now healed body, popping and stretching his sore joints. He ended it with a couple pops from his neck before he smiled wickedly at Haru who stared back at Naruto in complete shock.

'_Kurama… how does my chakra look?' _Naruto asked in slight hesitation.

There was a slight pause before Kurama's unmistakable giggling echoed out from Naruto's subconscious.

"**Hahaha! ….. Waste this bitch!" **Kurama laughed out earning a confident grin from Naruto.

"With pleasure," Naruto whispered, earning a confused look from Haru. Naruto then raised his hands to form his trademark cross hand sign. Haru's eyes grew wider as her breath caught in her throat.

"Kagebunshin No jutsu!"

Two clones exploded to life next to Naruto, both grinning wickedly at Haru. The clone closest to Naruto turned and raised his hands as Naruto lifted his right hand arm with his palm facing towards the ceiling. Within no time, a bright glowing Rasengan swirled heavily in Naruto's palm.

"You look scared… Don't want to fight anymore?" Naruto asked insultingly as the clone next to him puffed away, leaving only one.

Haru gulped a dry breath before refocusing and getting back into her fighting stance.

"Hardly, but I will give you this. I don't know how you were able to rid my poison from your system so quickly, but it will change nothing in the outcome of this fight!" Haru growled out.

"Well… let's find out shall we?" Ino asked from behind Haru as she as well got into her fighting stance.

Naruto dashed forward with his Rasengan pushed forward in front of him. Ino also jumped forward into the cave with a kunai drawn and ready to slash out at Haru. Haru threw out a few shuriken before turning and blocking Ino's slash. Naruto slid underneath of the projectiles and regained his footing without breaking pace. Haru tried to turn herself to defend against the still incoming Naruto, but Ino reached out and grabbed Haru, keeping her from moving.

With an understanding of what Ino was doing, Naruto unhesitatingly dug his Rasengan into Haru's back. The chakra twisted and tore away at her skin. Blood and skin splattered to the floor, leaving a small hole in her body that showed her organs. A small shockwave was unleashed at the end of the attack, sending Haru and the still-latched-on Ino flying and tumbling back out of the cave and into the downpour outside.

Naruto huffed and turned to his right to smile sweetly at Molly. He walked over to her and placed a hand on her head.

"Hey, I'm going to leave a clone with you okay?" Naruto spoke softly. "He will watch out for you while I finish this fight."

Molly smirked back as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Okay, Naruto-Sama."

Naruto turned and walked toward the entrance of the cave as his clone walked over to Molly and kneeled down next to her, doing his best to comfort her.

Naruto stopped at the entrance of the cave and made it just in time to see that Ino had gotten up from her tumble and was now in a heated brawl with Haru. He was surprised to see Haru didn't look very hurt.

'_Tough broad,' _Naruto thought with a sigh. '_Kurama, is the cloak ready? I don't feel like playing around anymore.' _

"**Haha…Yes, it's fully collected." **Kurama snickered out.

"Good" Naruto said quietly before he closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He focused on activating the chakra. The warmth of the power washed over Naruto as his body began to feel lighter. The gold chakra began to flow out of his abdomen and encircle his body, but after a brief moment the chakra began to halt its flow over Naruto's body. It flickered and wavered before it began to die out. Naruto's eyes shot open as he looked back at himself in confusion.

'_Kurama!? What's going on?" _Naruto asked in confusion._ "I can't activate the cloak!' _

"**I don't know. Your chakra network is fine, and so is mine… It should have worked."**

Naruto felt the cloak's power wash out of him quickly and just as the last drop of chakra was pulled away Naruto's body began to ache and burn like the power of the fox was tainted.

'_What the fuck was that!?' _Naruto thought in shock waiting for Kurama to answer.

"**It… It seems as if it's being washed away… or pulled back? " **Kurama spoke in an interested tone.

Naruto blinked before he felt a sickening feeling beginning to dwell in his stomach.

'_Washed away by what!? It usually just comes when I need it….Can't you do something!?" _Naruto asked in frustration._ "It's your chakra, after all!_'

Kurama kept silent for a brief moment before responding.

"**I don't know, Kit… I've never seen anything like this before. Well need to talk it over; l" **Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted him.

"HEY IDIOT!" Ino yelled angrily, causing Naruto to snap back into reality. "I could use your fucking help over here!"

Ino was currently in a heated back and forth with Haru in who could strike first with the next jutsu. As Ino finished her yelling she jumped backwards as a dozen mud spears pierced the earth where she had just been standing.

Naruto blinked a few times with wide eyes before he shook his head and ran out of the cave.

'_I guess I'll just roll with it,' _Naruto thought in aggravation.

Naruto ran up next to Ino who was currently standing with her back to him. She was staring down an injured but not beaten Haru. Both women were panting and showed signs of chakra exhaustion. Ino even slightly trembled as she tried to keep herself standing.

"I'm at my limit, Naruto-Kun," Ino rasped out between her breaths. "Since I had to heal myself earlier, I could probably manage maybe one more jutsu before I'm out."

Naruto nodded. "Don't worry, we'll be fine,"

'_I hope…' _Naruto thought as fear and doubt began to creep into his spirit.

Haru giggled upon hearing Naruto say that and a malicious grin spread across her face.

"Is that so… Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but…"

Naruto and Ino were taken off guard as Haru quickly did a one handed hand sign.

"Earth Style: Iron Needle Jutsu!"

'_WHAT!?' _Naruto thought in surprise.

The ground beneath them glowed briefly, signifying the chakra that was coursing through it. Hundreds of brown, razor sharp needles exploded from the earth below them, rocketing into their legs and feet. The sharp weapons pierced their bodies, splattering blood onto the wet forest floor. The weapons went completely through, leaving small holes on their legs and feet.

Naruto and Ino screamed out in pain before collapsing to the ground.

"Arggh! Fuck, my leg!" Ino hollered in agony.

Her left leg was completely shredded and pouring blood. Lucky for her, the jutsu had missed her right leg. Naruto's feet had been pierced violently, leaving his black sandals looking redder then they ever should. His feet trembled and twitched in pain as the holes began to seal, thanks to Kurama.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Haru laughed out menacingly as she clutched her sides. "You two are pathetic!"

Ino growled as she continued to grab at her blood soaked leg. She tried her best to stifle her grunts of agony.

Naruto just stayed seated on his rear as his feet healed. His eyes were wide and his breath was short and labored. His complete attention was focused on Ino's damaged leg. Naruto felt his body lock up and his fears from before the mission come rushing to the front of his mind.

'_Ino… y…your leg…' _Naruto thought in a whimper as Haru continued to laugh like a mad woman. _'You won't be able to heal yourself…. You don't have enough chakra…'_

Naruto watched the blood gush out of the holes on Ino's leg and watched as she did her best to remain tough, even though he knew if she didn't heal herself or got help soon she would die from blood loss. Then the thought of her death washed over him like a wave of dread. Echoes of the past reentered his now trembling mind and psyche.

'"_Could you take it if they died?"'_ Tsunade's voice rang out.

Sasuke's face then flashed in front of Naruto's eyes as well as Ino's dead body, lying motionless and cold in the rainfall as the blood still poured out of her wounds.

Naruto began to tremble uncontrollably.

Ino looked away from her leg and over to Naruto. His eyes were hollow and distant. His shoulders shook like he was going through hypothermia and his skin was pale.

"N…Naruto-Kun?" Ino asked worriedly as she watched as Naruto continued to stare at her leg.

"**DAMMIT BRAT, GET YOURSELF TOGETHER! SHE'S A NINJA, AND INJURIES HAPPEN! NOW STOP BEING A LITTLE BITCH AND GET OFF YOUR ASS! YOUR FEET ARE HEALED!" **Kurama hollered in anger as he began to thrash about in Naruto's mind. **"NOW GET UP AND KICK THIS LITTLE TWAT'S ASS! **

Naruto listened to Kurama's words and he began to calm down. Suddenly, Naruto remembered something that he felt stupid for forgetting.

'_My Sun Mark!'_

Naruto rolled to his knees in front of Ino. His face of fear was no more as it changed to a strained look of confidence. Naruto pulled and twisted his orange athletic tape off of his right hand, letting it fall to the ground. His mark glowed slightly in the night air as he pushed his chakra through it. Ino and Haru looked in awe as Naruto reached forward and placed his hand on Ino's leg.

'_Is that…A mark of the Six Paths!? What…How….Where did he get that!?' _Haru thought in complete shock as she watched Naruto's hand begin to glow brightly.

"Naruto-Kun, what are you doing?" Ino asked as she watched Naruto's hand began to glow.

Naruto stayed silent as he focused on pushing his chakra into the mark. After a brief second, Ino's leg began to heal at an incredible speed. Her wounds hissed closed quickly and her blood seemed to evaporate off of her skin. The warm chakra that was being pushed through her leg… felt amazing.

Naruto glanced from Ino's leg to her face to see the look of comfort on her face.

'_It's working! Thank goodness…' _Naruto thought in relief.

The moment was short-lived though, as Naruto's palm began to burn. Ino yelped in pain and Naruto reached his hand away from her skin, leaving her leg partially healed. A burn mark was in the center of her thigh where Naruto previously had his hand. Ino cringed as the mark throbbed in pain. Naruto looked from the burn to his palm. His hand was shaking and his palm was bleeding.

"W… What?" Naruto whispered as the pain in his hand began to rise.

Ino opened her eyes from her wincing to see Naruto staring at his hand with wide eyes. It shook violently and sparks of chakra began to lash out from the pulsating mark on his palm.

"Naruto-Kun…What's happening?" Ino asked in concern as the sparks of chakra became more vicious.

The ground began to shake as a sharp high pitched hissing sound began to emanate from Naruto's sun mark. Ino winced at the sound and felt scared as the ground beneath her trembled with the chakra. Haru covered her face as the chakra sparks lashed out and singed the area with their touch. Her eyes were wide with horror at the power the chakra held. Naruto continued to try and seal the mark and keep it from causing anymore harm.

Naruto realized he was in a losing battle and began to loosen his hold on the Mark's power. Naruto was expecting the terror to stop but to his dismay, it continued to build. The hissing still grew and the dark feelings of the lifeless chakra began to build in Naruto's palm.

"W…WHAT!?" Naruto asked in shock as he stared at his violently shaking and bleeding hand. The Sun Mark was glowing brightly in the darkness of the night.

"**KIT, KNOCK IT OFF!" **Kurama hollered in anger.** "I DON'T WHAT THIS IS BUT IT'S BECOMING DANGEROUS! SHUT THAT THING DOWN!" **

'_I DON'T KNOW WHATS HAPPENING!" _Naruto protested with fear evident in his voice._ "IT'S LIKE MY SYMBOL IS GOING CRAZY! AND THIS CHAKRA IT'S EMITTING… IT'S SO DARK!' _

Haru watched with wide as before her expression turned to one of malice.

'_So he is indeed one of the six Miru Hito, but it would seem that his power isn't working correctly,' _Haru thought with a snicker.

Haru had to jump back as one of the chakra sparks connected with the ground right in front of her. It left a small crater in the mud and smoke rose from the hole.

'_I better get out of here! At this rate this idiots gonna destroy the whole forest!'_ Haru thought in surprise before she turned and jumped off and into the trees.

The sparks continued to lash out as they created small craters and knocked over trees. The leaves began to burn, but were quickly put out by the rainfall.

'_I CAN'T STOP IT, KURAMA! IT JUST CONTINUES TO BUILD!'_ Naruto thought in horror as he continued to try and seal the mark away once more.

Kurama kept quiet as he analyzed the mark. He felt the chakra that was emitting from it. It felt lifeless… It felt… sorrowful.

"**NARUTO… IT'S FEEDING OFF YOUR EMOTIONS!" **

Naruto flinched at this and watched as the power in his hand continued to grow and destroy the landscape. The fear in his heart grew, as well as the chakra.

'_It's… feeding off my emotions?' _Naruto thought in shock.

The chakra grew even stronger and the ground began to shake. Naruto and Kuruma knew that his hand couldn't handle this much Chakra just raging through it… In no time, he would be a walking bomb.

"**NARUTO! The mark feeds off your emotions. Right now, it's feeding off of your doubts and fears! You've got to suppress those!"**Kurama ordered as Naruto listened in shock. _"_**Be confident like you were in the War! That's when it works correctly! YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY FEAR OR DOUBTS!" **

'_But… but I can't just…' _Naruto thought in sadness as the chakra grew even stronger and wilder.

Boulders cracked from the pressure and gravel began to rise in the air from the friction the chakra was emitting. The air was thick and the winds began to pick up. Naruto watched in horror, unable to fight back the whirlwind of emotions flying through him.

"**NARUTO!" **Kurama yelled out once again, sensing that Naruto was beginning to panic.

Naruto smashed his eyes shut before he yelled in anger.

"I CAN'T STOP IT!"

The black chakra erupted from Naruto's palm and the ground began to shake more violently. The life around them began to die. Trees wilted and grass turned brown and brittle. The flowers nearby that shook in the rain wilted and died. This chakra was death.

Naruto knew he was going to lose this battle to regain control of the mark, so he decided to switch into damage control. He looked to his left to see Ino watching the destruction in horror from her sitting position in the mud.

"Ino, all this chakra is about to go off! Now I need you to put up the best chakra wall inside that cave and protect yourself and Molly!"

Ino looked at Naruto in awe and was going to respond before Naruto's clone he had left behind earlier picked her up, being careful with her damaged leg. Naruto watched as they ran off behind him to the cave before he refocused on his palm. He then noticed that Haru was nowhere to be seen.

'_Probably bolted to get away from this mayhem,' _Naruto thought in an angered voice.

"**NARUTO, PREPARE YOURSELF!"**

Kurama felt afraid for his host…he had never felt chakra that was so…depressing. As the hissing sound had reached its peak and the earth shook violently, Naruto looked over his shoulder to see that the Ice wall was already beginning to build inside of the cave. Ino looked at Naruto with fear and sorrow in her eyes as she had Molly in her arms. She was on one knee, knowing her leg wouldn't let her stand. Naruto tried his best to smile at Ino before the hissing and shaking stopped completely for a brief second. Naruto fell to his knee in exhaustion as all of his chakra was pulled from his body. He looked at his palm as the symbol turned from yellow to a dark purple. Then…there was a flash.

(BOOM!)

All of Naruto's chakra erupted from his hand in one great explosion. The blast obliterated the area immediately. The trees were disintegrated from the heat and the ground was immediately dried of the rain that was upon it. The crater that was created was a hundred yards deep and half a mile wide. The blast of chakra reached miles into the sky as the power and fury of the blast moved clouds and rattled homes miles away. The sky turned to daytime from the flash while the blast was detonating and the earth trembled with its power. After about thirty seconds, the chakra dissipated and all that was left was the aftermath. There were absolutely no trees to be seen for at least two miles from where the blast originated. The crater was deep and immediately began to fill with the heavy downpour from above. Yet the most haunting part of the blast was the feeling the chakra let out. Despite that it was Naruto's chakra and even more so that it was from the Light symbol on Naruto's hand, the chakra felt… dark… It felt…lifeless.

-Hiro Complex, 20 Minutes Earlier-

After the flash bang that Shikamaru had set off subsided, Sakura let her arms drop from their protective position in front of her face. She tried to get her eyes to focus through the fuzzy white dots that sprinkled her vision. The strain of her pupils to dilate was giving her a slight headache and caused her to groan. Once she could see clearly in the dark night and rainfall she saw something that made her sigh in relief.

'_You smart bastard!' _Sakura thought happily.

The water spikes that were set to rip Shikamaru to shreds had been halted by a large black wall that had appeared in the darkness. The wall was connected to Shikamaru before it began to disappear. The wall blended back into the blackness of the night and disappeared. The spikes clattered to the ground before dissolving into water. Shikamaru stood from his kneeling position and turned with a smirk on his face to look at the baffled Kira, who had finally recovered from the flash.

"How did you do that!?" Kira asked in frustration as she rubbed her left eye gently.

Shikamaru smirked and stifled a laugh.

"My family specializes in shadow manipulation jutsus," Shikamaru informed in a calm yet cocky voice. "Although they are powerful and can be very helpful, in the dark they are rendered useless unless there is a light source. With the moon being covered by the storm, it's almost impossible to make a shadow out here. However… a slight flash bang just gives me just enough time to create a shadow."

Haru furrowed her brow in frustration and mumbled curses under her breath. Sakura ran up next to Shikamaru with a look of confidence restored on her face.

"You're intelligent…. I'll have to keep that in mind from now on," Kira said calmly as she resettled herself in her stance.

Kira smirked before she seemed to fade in front of Sakura's and Shikamaru's eyes and disappeared into the rain once more. Sakura blinked in surprise before Shikamaru spoke once again.

"Like she said, Sakura, she is a water affinity user. Seems this ability to blend into the rain is a type of Kekkei Genkai. Also explains why her voice seemed to resonate from all around. She uses the raindrops around us to transport herself… She will be lighting fast because of this." Shikamaru spoke calmly as he looked around into the night fall of rain.

Sakura flinched at Shikamaru's analyses as memories of 6 years prior flashed quickly through her mind.

'_This Kekkei Genkai….it sounds similar to Haku's!' _Sakura thought in shock.

Sakura was pulled from her memories as a loud voice rattled through the rain.

"Water Style: Roaring Rapids!"

A large wave of water shot forth from the darkness in front of the duo, traveling with great speed towards them. Sakura and Shikamaru jumped apart and to the side of the large wave and it passed by them and collided with the courtyard wall 30 yards behind them. The wall cracked and gave way to the jutsu, leaving a large hole that revealed the rebar and pipes holding the structure together.

Sakura rolled to her feet after jumping to the side, but as she looked back towards where she had been standing, a fist caught her off guard as it contacted her gut. The air was expelled from her lungs violently and she was launched back a few yards. She skidded and rolled on the drenched stone floor of the courtyard before she was able to catch herself. Sakura rolled to her knees and spat out a slight bit of blood as she glared back at the smirking Kira, who disappeared back into the rain.

"Sakura, are you okay?!" Shikamaru called out from the other side of the courtyard.

Sakura stood up and wiped her mouth on her arm in aggravation.

"I'm fine!" Sakura yelled back aggressively, causing Shikamaru to gulp and shiver.

'_Great, just what I needed… Two angry women in the same fight…What a drag,' _Shikamaru thought in exasperation before refocusing on the fight.

The rainfall stood still for a few moments as Sakura and Shikamaru tried their best to pick up on any signs of when Kira would strike again.

'_This is bad… We're sitting ducks with us only able to block her attacks. There has got to be a way for us to attack her while she's in this droplet transfer ability she has. If we don't start striking back soon….we're gonna-' _Shikamaru thought calculatingly before a large, roaring thunder sounded and flash illuminated the battlefield.

Shikamaru looked up at the bolt of lightning that flickered over the sky, making the sky rumble. He smiled widely as the gears in his head began to move.

'_Bingo!'_

Shikamaru was brought back to earth as a kick to the side of his ribs rattled his body. He grunted in pain before another strike to the face sent him reeling backwards and skidding across the ground. Water splashed and rippled as Shikamaru came to a stop. Sakura jumped forward and threw a fist at the darkness where Shikamaru had attacked, but found only thin air.

Sakura skidded to a stop and growled in frustration.

"This is bad, Shikamaru… We need to-"

"I know," Shikamaru interrupted as he stood up and brushed the damp dirt off of his body. "I have an idea, but I'll need your strength to do it."

Sakura stared at Shikamaru briefly before nodding and smirking. "What do you have in mind?

Shikamaru smirked. "Well, first, we need time to talk and make sure she won't be able to hear us."

Sakura thought for a brief moment before giving an "aha" face and reaching into her medical bag placed on her lower back. She ruffled around inside of it with her left hand for a few seconds before returning with 2 small paper balls that looked like flash bangs.

"These will do the trick, Shikamaru. These two explosives emit an air toxin that increases the sensitivity of the victim's hearing a sight causing it to become unbearable." Sakura informed. "It doesn't last very long, but it will give us enough time to come up with a better strategy."

Shikamaru smiled and nodded with recognition of her idea. Sakura and Shikamaru didn't have long to wait after that as Kira once again pounced out of the blackness of the rainfall. She had two kunai pulled, one in each hand. She rocketed towards Sakura with her arms and blades pulled back and ready to clear Sakura's head from her shoulders. Sakura jumped back as Shikamaru jumped forward with his own Kunais drawn. The two ninja met in a stalemate as their weapons clashed against each other.

"Shikamaru move!" Sakura yelled as she launched the 2 small capsules at Kira's face.

Shikamaru ducked and jumped out of the way just as the small explosives connected with Kira's midsection. The two explosives ignited and launched a puff of white smoke that covered her body. Kira swatted the air clean of the smoke as she realized that her opponents had fled to an unknown location.

"That didn't even hurt, you cowards! You think you can hide from m-" Kira yelled before her eyes and ears began to burn, interrupting her. _'H… Huh!?'_

Kira's eyes became super focused as the slightest bit of change in lighting made them burn. She shut her eyes closed as she rubbed at them violently. Her ears then began to bleed from the amplified sound of the rainfall. Every droplet sounded like an explosion in her ear making them go numb with pain. Kira howled in pain as she tried to protect her ears as well. After a moment, she faded back into the rain to protect herself as she waited for the effects of whatever was hurting her to subside.

Shikamaru peered out from the side of a large boulder of rubble that had been created from the water jutsu Kira used earlier that damaged the courtyard wall. He watched as she trawled in pain before receding back into the rain. Shikamaru then turned to his left to see Sakura was also leaning against the boulder in a crouched position.

"Looks like your little bombs worked… She seemed to be quite irritated by them."

Sakura nodded and smiled "Good; that will buy us at least five minutes."

Shikamaru glanced once again around the corner of the large rock before returning to Sakura.

"Okay…Sakura, how far do you think you could throw a kunai strait up if you used your full strength?" Shikamaru asked.

Sakura seemed to be taken aback by the question as she looked at him in a confused look.

"I…I uhh…Maybe half a mile, I guess…. Why?" Sakura stammered out trying to understand his plan.

"That will do perfect. Okay, now listen closely, Sakura. She uses her little ability to travel through the rain, but she needs chakra to be flowing through the rain drops for her to do this."

Sakura nodded in understanding.

"Meaning that the water in the air is now connected without the drops having to touch one another."

Sakura nodded once again.

"So if we hit one of her water-based with lightning, it will-"

"The chakra flowing through the rain will act as a conductor and send the lighting right to Kira even if she's in the rain drops!" Sakura interrupted. "Shikamaru, that's brilliant!"

Shikamaru smirked at seeing how quickly Sakura was able to pick up on his idea. Sakura looks of joy quickly fell to dishearten.

"But, neither of us has a lighting affinity… how will we be able to-" Sakura was cut off as a loud blast of thunder echoed out through the sky and a flash of lighting struck not far from where they were.

Sakura processed the sudden interruption, as well as the information that she had been given for a brief second before her face lit up once again.

"OHHHHH! That will work!" Sakura said in a confident voice.

She looked back down to Shikamaru, who was looking back at her with a smirk.

"Let's do it," they said in unison.

They stepped out from behind the rubble and walked out into the middle of the courtyard. The rain fell around them as thunder and lightning continued to rattle off far above. They stood there waiting for Kira to emerge once again from the rain for a few minutes. Their patience was rewarded as Kira walked out of the darkness with dried blood from her ears and eyes on her skin. She glared at Sakura.

"I fucking hate you, Pinky! I don't know what the fuck that was, but it reeaally pissed me off!" Kira yelled in anger, earning a sly smirk from Sakura.

"I have that effect on people," Sakura said mockingly as she shrugged her shoulders earning a growl from Kira.

"Well, let's see how much you like me after this, you bitch!" Kira hollered as her hands flew through hands signs.

Shikamaru and Sakura tensed as they readied to put their plan in motion.

"Water Style: Colossal Raging Rapids!"

With a deep breath and exhale, an even larger wave then last time poured out of her mouth. It gained speed and became a large scale tidal wave. It rumbled the ground and rushed towards the Konoha duo.

"NOW!" Shikamaru ordered as he jumped to safety away from the oncoming attack. Sakura, however jumped far into the air above the jutsu. At the peak of her leap she turned and saw the jutsu had contact the courtyard wall once again, but this time destroying the area it hit completely with its force. As the water settled on the ground with the chakra from Kira still coursing through the liquid, Sakura took action. With her descent, Sakura turned back to the sky and launched a kunai with a steel wire connected to it far into the night sky. It whistled with its flight and disappeared from sight. Sakura then threw another kunai that also had steel wire tied at the end, connecting the two knives together, into the large puddle of water on the ground that contained Kira's chakra. It stuck into the ground with a thud.

Sakura then joined Shikamaru, landing on the wall, well above the ground and away from the danger of their plan. The duo looked up into the sky and waited for the strike.

'_Come on… come on…. Strike the knife, dammit!_' Shikamaru thought with a slight fear that the knife would not be struck.

Luckily for him and Sakura, the sky filled with a bright flash as a large bolt of lightning made contact with the soaring kunai knife.

"YES!" the two said in unison as they watched in awe. The lighting ran down the steel wire in a flash of light. As it connected with the watery floor, it sparked and coursed through the water. After a few seconds, the chakra in the water caught the charge and the electricity sparked up into the air and began to jump from raindrop to raindrop in midair. It sparked and crackled as it dashed through the air at what seemed to be a hundred miles an hour. Eventually, the bolt of lightning hit its mark.

With a great flash and slight explosion, Kira's scream rang out through the courtyard as her body twitched and convulsed as the lightning coursed through her. Her body became black with burns and the smell of burnt flesh lofted in the air. Kira's body fell to the ground with a thud after the lightning had subsided. Smoke rose into the air off of her completely burned body. No one who had seen her before would have been able to recognize her.

Sakura and Shikamaru jumped down off of the wall, knowing the threat of being electrocuted was now gone. They walked slowly over to the unmoving Kira, who laid face down in a puddle of rain. They stopped a few feet away as they turned to each other.

"Nice job, Shikamaru; it worked like a charm!" Sakura complimented as Shikamaru made his way over to the smoldering body.

Shikamaru stopped right in front of Kira's body as he studied the remains. He then felt a bolt of fear course through his body as the Kira lying before him burst into water and disappeared. Sakura and Shikamaru flinched in shock and were taken of guard as Kira appeared once again, this time behind Shikamaru. Before he could move or react, a long blade pierced his lower abdomen. Blood sprayed to the wet stone floor. Kira smirked with a demented satisfaction as she wrenched the blade from Shikamaru's body.

"A… ah…." Shikamaru grunted in pain as he fell to the ground in a heap.

Sakura was lost for words at how fast the tides had just turned for the worst. A lump grew in her throat at seeing her friend and comrade being struck down so quickly and unexpectedly. She made a move to run over to him, but Kira appeared in front of Sakura this time, lashing out with the same blade that she had just stabbed Shikamaru with. His blood still coated the blade and Sakura could only lift her left arm as protection, having no time to do anything more. With a quick slice and a bone shuddering scream from Sakura, blood once again mixed with the fallen rain.

Kira disappeared into the rainfall with a sinister laugh escaping her lips. Sakura fell backwards and landed on her back as she coughed violently, blood dripping from her mouth. Sakura lifted her head to access the damage of Kira's attack. Running across her left arm and part of her chest was a large, seeping gash, starting at her shoulder and going diagonally down and stopping just below her left breast. Blood flowed smoothly out of her wound as the mixing rain helped wash it away. Sakura tried to hide her grunts of pain as she rolled to her right side and lifted herself to her feet.

Her left arm dangled at her side as she slouched over with her head facing the earth. She tried to move it but found it was unresponsive and surged with pain at every attempt. She grunted in pain as well as anger.

"_T…the muscles have been severed… It's useless now,' _Sakura thought in a pained voice.

She lifted her head to look over at the still-down Shikamaru who, as far as she could tell, was dead. He head was face first in the rain and the ground around him was a smoggy maroon color. Sakura wanted to cry… she felt afraid and defenseless with her arm now being rendered useless. She muffled her whimpers as she looked at Shikamaru's body.

"H… How did this happen… We had won?" Sakura whispered out in pain.

"You two thought that I didn't know what the weakness of my own jutsu was… HA! How foolish and cocky," Kira's voice called out from behind Sakura.

Sakura flinched before she turned to see Kira standing behind her, towering above Sakura's current kneeling position. She had a water sword raised above her head and was ready to pull it down, severing Sakura's head from her body. Kira stood motionless before a wicked smirk crept to her face.

"You two got so caught up in your little idea that you never once thought that I had the upper hand all along! Yes, my jutsus are weak to lighting and electric affinities… but I've known this my entire life. That's why when I was using my Rain Dance Kekkei Genkai to move among the rain drops, I had a clone take my place. So just in case you did use a lighting jutsu or whatever the hell you just did with that lightning… I wouldn't be hurt."

Sakura's eyes widened as realization set in.

"We were….it was…"

"A Clone," Kira finished Sakura's sentence. "You had not once landed a hit on me through the entire fight… so you had no idea. So while you played with my Water Clone, I stayed safely in the back ground, waiting for you to slip up… Which, as you can see… you eventually did."

Kira's grip tightened on the sword she held above her head. Sakura's heart began to race as she made a move to run but found her legs were glued to the ground. Sakura looked down to see that her legs were wrapped in chakra wires Kira must have put on her when she attack earlier. Sakura looked back up at Kira with complete fear in her eyes.

"It was fun, Pinky… Now it's time I run along and catch up with my sister!"

With that being said, Kira brought down her arm. Sakura winced and closed her eyes in anticipation of her death.

'_Sorry… Naruto-Otouto… Sasuke-Kun… Kakashi-Sensei,' _Sakura thought as a single tear finally escaped her eye.

Kira was mere centimeters from slicing Sakura's head in half when a large shockwave boomed over the courtyard. Kira was sent reeling backwards, tumbling end over end from the shockwave that just hit her. The blade she was holding liquefied back into water. Sakura was held in place by the chakra wire holding her to the earth. She shielded herself from the wind as dirt and debris rushed by her with the blast. Shikamaru's limp body skidded across the ground a few feet before stopping not far from where he had been laying.

After a few moments, the wind died down and the rain fell normally once again. Sakura looked over her shoulder to see what had caused such a blast. Kira had risen to her feet after her tumble with an angered look on her face. Both of the women's faces dropped into awe at the sight that lay before them. A large mushroom cloud of what looked to be like chakra rose high in the distance. The air immediately filled with a feeling of death or lifelessness that the chakra was emitting. Sakura gulped as she realized where the blast had come from.

'_That's the direction Naruto and Ino were headed!' _Sakura thought with an even larger lump forming in her throat. "Naruto-Otouto…"

Kira watched the cloud of chakra, also studying the feeling the chakra was emitting. A knot resonated itself in her throat as well.

'_Sister… Please be okay!' _Kira thought with worry.

Kira turned to look back at Sakura and then back to the cloud in the distance. She stayed still for a brief moment before grunting in exasperation. She walked over to stand a few feet in front of Sakura as the two stared into each other's eyes. Both emitted a slight amount of killing intent.

Kira smirked.

"You're lucky… That blast just saved your life,"

Sakura didn't respond as she continued to glare at the woman.

"I'd love to finish you off, but it would seem our time has run short. Although, I believe we will meet again, Pinky. Until next time." With that being said, Kira dashed off towards the direction of the blast. Sakura watched as she left. Not long after, the chakra threads holding her still extinguished.

Sakura immediately stood on her feet and caressed her damaged left arm. She looked at the large chakra cloud in the distance but was brought back to her current location by a rough coughing sound coming from her right. Sakura turned quickly to see Shikamaru trying his best to lift himself to his knees.

"Shikamaru!" Sakura said happily as she jogged over to him. "You're alive!"

Sakura reached down with her good arm and help him to his knees. She then began to study the large puncture that went through his midsection. She sighed in relief.

"She missed my vitals, but she pulsed some kind of chakra through the blade, and it knocked me out…" Shikamaru spoke in a soft voice. "I've lost some blood, but I'll be fine."

Sakura nodded, coming to the same conclusion at seeing the wound. Shikamaru looked up and saw Sakura's sliced arm and torso and cringed at the exposed bone and muscle.

"Sakura… Your arm."

"I'll be fine, nothing a little medical treatment can't fix," Sakura informed while trying her best to put on a smile even though her body pulsed with pain.

Shikamaru looked at her for a brief moment with worry before nodding.

"Sakura… go after Kira and find out what that blast was," Shikamaru ordered as he began to stand.

"W…what!? No, I've got to get you fixed up! You'll bleed out if I do-"

"Ino has taught me some medical techniques over the years," Shikamaru interrupted. "I'll patch myself up and I'll go check on Hiro and the others…I'm too banged up to help… I'll get Sai or Choji to back you up when I get to the bunker."

Sakura looked at Shikamaru with worry before nodding at his orders.

"Okay… I'll go." Sakura said quietly.

With that, Sakura turned and rushed out of the courtyard and over the wall towards the still-looming chakra cloud in the distance. Shikamaru watched her leave before he sat down in a huff once again and pulled out some medical wrap and gauze. He began to work on his wound as he thought about the explosion.

'_Be okay… Ino… Naruto…' _

Sakura dashed through the trees as she tried to wrap her arm while on the move. With no time to work on it properly, a simple wrap and sling would have to do. She finished her task as she continued through the trees quickly. The rain moved past her in a blur and the air became thicker the closer she came to the explosion.

'_Naruto… Ino… I'm coming… Please be okay!' _

-Bottom of Blast Crater-

Naruto laid face first in the mud at the bottom of the crater as his body twitched and convulsed in pain. His body was broken and beaten and he struggled to breathe through the ruptured lung he now knew he had. He looked up from the wet floor below him and tried his best to focus his eyes. His head hurt… as well as the rest of his body. All of his chakra and been taken away for him… For what reason did the Mark suddenly turn on him…? He did not know right now. All he knew is that if he was still able to continue somehow… he needed to find Ino and Molly.

Naruto tried to move his body, but found that it wouldn't comply.

'_D… dammit… I can't move…' _he thought as his body convulsed in pain.

He turned his head back to where the cave used to rest. There was nothing left; just the wet mud of the crater he laid in. He felt fear immediately rush to his senses again.

'_N… No… Ino… Molly…W… Where are you?' _Naruto tried his best to turn his body so he could look in that direction better._ 'D… Don't tell me I…. I...'_

Naruto didn't have to finish his thought as he was finally able to turn his head enough to see just out of his peripheral vision; a limp and battered Ino lay motionless in the mud not far from him. In her arms was Molly, who seemed to be knocked out as well, but fine besides that.

'_Ino….Molly…' _Naruto thought in relief_. 'I need to make sure… they're okay…'_

Naruto tried to get his body to move, but found he was still paralyzed. He winced in pain as his broken bones rubbed against each other. The left side of his body ached in pain… while for some reason, his right side felt numb.

'_K… Kurama… I need some help…_' Naruto thought through his agony… but there was no response. _'Kuruma….are you there?' _

Once again there was no answer.

'_Damned fox, where the fuck are you!?' _Naruto thought angrily.

Naruto was pushed from his thoughts as a familiar presence reentered the area. Naruto tried to turn his head away from Ino's unconscious body but was unable to.

"The great Uzumaki Naruto… can't even keep his feelings under control, hehe," Haru spoke up from behind Naruto.

Haru walked around Naruto's twitching and bloody body as she slowly strolled over towards Molly. As she entered Naruto's vision, he realized this and began to fight his inability to move even harder, but yet again to no avail.

"N… (COUGH) No! Stay away from her!" Naruto barked out.

Haru didn't break her pace a she turned to look over her shoulder.

"You know… I knew the girl had a mark, but I never expected you to have one," Haru said in a mocking tone. "I was just able to get out of the blast radius before your mark and arm went pop. Haha… How pathetic."

Haru made it over to Ino and Molly as Naruto still struggled to move. Haru kicked Ino to the side as she reached down and grasped Molly and lifted her under her left arm.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Naruto screamed in complete anger, his eyes becoming blue slits before molding back into normality.

Haru turned back to Naruto and smirked.

"You know… if I could kill you I would, but now that I know you have the mark… well… kind of… I'll have to take you with me." Haru started to walk over to Naruto with Molly still under her arm.

"SISTER!" A voice called from behind Naruto, but he could not turn to see who it was.

Kira appeared behind Naruto in the crater and jumped forward to land next to Haru. She looked at the girl under Haru's arm and grinned wickedly.

"So you've got her! Nice work, Big Sis!" Kira said enthusiastically.

Haru smirked but was shaken when Molly began to move and awaken from her slumber. As her eyes opened she realized she was facing the ground and was being held in the air. She looked up to see Naruto lying in the mud ten yards in front of her. She saw how hurt he was and became scared. She then slowly looked up to see who was holding her in such a fashion and at seeing Haru's face…Molly burst into tears. She tried to fight free.

"LET ME GO, LET ME GO! NARUTO-SAMA, HELP ME!" Molly hollered as she struggled for freedom.

Haru growled at Molly's whimpering and fighting to get free and shook her violently in her arms. Kira eventually walked over with a syringe in her hand. She pushed it into her neck and after a brief moment, Molly went limp.

"That'll keep the brat still!" Kira spoke as Haru sighed in relief.

Naruto watched in anger at how they treated Molly. He growled through his pain and could feel his blood boil.

"I'll…" Naruto spoke out angrily getting Kira's and Haru's attention back towards him. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Naruto yelled in rage earning just mocking smiles from the girls.

"I almost forgot about you, Naruto-San. My apologies," Haru mocked. "Kira, you know Naruto Uzumaki… the hero of the five nations, A.K.A The Blazing Angel of Konoha."

Kira looked from her sister over to the struggling Naruto and laughed loudly.

"HAHAHAHAHA! This is that Naruto! How pathetic! HAHAHA!" Kira barked loudly through the rain.

Naruto growled as his pride began to burn. He wanted blood, and somehow he was gonna get it.

"It gets better, Sister…" Haru said slyly. "He holds one of the Six Paths within him."

Kira immediately stopped laughing and looked at Naruto with a shocked face.

"He's a Miru Hito!? Which gift does he have!?" Kira asked in fascination.

"I don't know… he blew up before I was even able to tell, but wait until we bring not one but TWO Miru Hito back to the guys! We'll be champs!" Haru said in satisfaction.

Kira could only grin at that as she started to walk towards the unmoving Naruto.

"I like the sound of that! I'll bag him and we'll get the fuck out of here!" Kira said enthusiastically as she approached Naruto.

She was cut short however when a kunai knife hit the dirt between herself and Naruto. Kira blinked in surprise before she looked up and saw a pink figure appear into the crater.

"Step away from Naruto!" Sakura yelled in anger.

Kira smirked as she felt her sister Haru walk up to stand beside her. Both women glared with wicked smiles at Sakura.

"Ah! Pinky, I wouldn't have thought with that wound you'd be able to chase after me… My mistake," Kira said calmly, earning a glare from Sakura. "Don't worry, Sister; I'll finish her off right now."

"No," Haru said, causing Kira to look at her with a questioning look. "We've both lost too much chakra. We leave now while we still can."

Haru looked down at Naruto as he glared up at her with rage-filled eyes.

"Looks like we will have to come get you another time, 'Naruto-Sama'," Haru said as she blew a joking kiss over to the downed hero.

Naruto chose to ignore her and looked down at the limp Molly that was in her arms. Her body was not moving but he could still see that her eyes were open and responsive. Tears still flowed down her face.

'_Molly…I know you can hear me,' _Naruto thought as Molly's eyes darted right towards his own as she was now looking at Naruto with tear filled eyes, listening to his thoughts. '_First off, Molly… I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect you, but I need to you listen, okay? I need you to be strong… These women are going to take you.' _

Molly's eyes began to cry more at hearing these and Naruto's heart began to hurt. He pushed on.

'_Molly… I will find you… I will bring you home… I will never stop until you are safe, okay! I'm so, so sorry, Molly… Be strong… Naruto-Sama will bring you back soon!' _Naruto thought as tears threatened to fall from his own eyes.

Molly looked at Naruto for a few more minutes before she closed her eyes in sadness and wept silently in Haru's arm. Naruto watched and felt like his heart was being pulled from his chest.

"Let us go, sister," Kira said as she placed her hand on Haru's shoulder.

Both women began to fade into the rain, and not long after, the Sisters were gone… as well as Molly.

Sakura walked her beaten body over to the still-laying Naruto as she watched him weep into the mud. She kneeled down before she realized something horrible about Naruto's condition. She could only look at him with shaky eyes before Naruto's voice reached her ears.

"I failed… I failed again to keep someone safe," Naruto choked out through his tears.

Sakura kept quiet as she felt the same sadness wash into her. She could only kneel there next to him and let the rain fall upon their bodies. Sakura looked over to where Ino was laying and saw the rise and fall of her chest. She just seemed to be unconscious with a few chakra burns on her body. She would do a full evaluation on her later, but she was alive and that was all that mattered at the moment.

Sakura turned to look behind her as she heard someone approaching. A large black-and-white bird landed in the crater and Sai jumped off of the large animal. Sai rushed over to Sakura's side and looked down at Naruto. He felt a twinge of something he couldn't describe in his gut as he looked at the right side of Naruto's body. He forced himself to look away and saw Ino not far from them. He looked down at the kneeling Sakura, who was watching the silently crying Naruto lying face first in the mud next to her. Sai could see that Sakura's own eyes held great pain and sorrow within them; even he could see that.

Out of nowhere… Naruto spoke.

"Sakura… Sai… I'm about to pass out from Chakra exhaustion… but before that… I want to say I'm sorry… I failed once again."

Sai was about to respond, but Sakura raised her hand in a fashion that made him stop. He looked down to see a pleading look coming from the girl. At this, Sai decided to stay quiet. He looked back at Naruto with hurt in his heart… He knew how much this mission had meant to Naruto.

"S… Sakura-Oneesan…" Naruto whispered out.

"Y…yes?"

"I… I can't move the right side of my body at all... How bad is it?" Naruto asked.

Sakura cringed at the question and reached over and pulled Naruto over so that he was now on his back instead of chest first. Naruto looked up at Sakura with the little ability he had and saw the complete sadness in her eyes. He then did his best to look over at his right side. After a brief moment at fighting his body, he was able to look down at his side. His eyes grew wide in shock.

Sakura finally found the courage to speak as she gulped a dry breath.

"Naruto….Your right arm… it's gone."

And with that being said, Naruto promptly passed out from exhaustion.

END CHAPTER 8

AN2( So…I wrote that I was going to blow off Naruto's arm way before Manga 698 came out…So I've come to the conclusion that I have psychic powers! Also I get the chance to be even more canon…so…YA!)


	10. Chapter 9 Aftermath Recovery

AN: (I have come to the conclusion that I and my editor won't be able to make certain day deadlines such as the first of every month. It's not fair to her and her family and it's not fair to myself. You will all still get a new chapter every month….but it won't be on a specific day. I hope you all understand and I will post the new chapter real soon! Also I will be reposting chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 being that my awesome editor went back and redid chapters 1-4. I'm also reloading ch5 because I need to edit the (Mind) bubbles I used early in the story. My editor joined "The Old You" team before chapter 5 so it's awesome that she did that for me. So when I upload this chapter you'll also get updates that the old chapters were also reloaded so don't worry about if you missed something, you didn't! Sorry if I blow up your emails but I'm just trying to make the story as best as possible. Thanks again everyone and stay classy! )

Chapter 9 - Aftermath… Recovery

With a fling of Haru's arm, Molly tumbled into the cave-walled cell that was her new home. She flopped to a stop towards the middle of the cell as she heard the large bar door slide to a close loudly behind her with a clang. She turned to look and saw Haru smirking at her.

"Now sit tight and make yourself at home…" Haru said calmly before turning and walking away and out of sight. "You'll be here for quite a while."

Molly looked down at her wrist to see a metal band had been placed upon it. It was quite tight and couldn't be removed by sheer strength. She tried to tap into her mark, but found she was unable to. Molly whimpered, realizing the band was a seal.

Molly rolled into a sitting position in the center of her new home and broke her focus away from her wrist. She studied the room. There were no windows; the only light source was a light bulb that hung down off of a chain just outside of her cell. The corners of the cave walls were completely concealed by shadows. A small sleeping mat with a blanket and pillow were placed directly against the back wall, farthest from the cell door. Molly pulled up her knees and hugged them close to her chest. She buried her face into her lap as she whimpered and cried.

"You okay, kiddo?" A male voice spoke up, making Molly fling her head upwards and look out towards the entrance to her cell.

In the cell across from hers, a young man sat against the far wall of his cell. He smiled sweetly at her as she studied his face briefly. He seemed nice, but his body was covered in bandages.

"She didn't hurt you, did she?" The man spoke up again as Molly continued to look at the young man.

"N… no… I'm okay," Molly said quietly, not taking her eyes off of the man.

The man smiled at this and gave a slight nod of approval. There was a brief moment of silence before Molly decided to speak.

"W… who are you?"

The man blinked a few times quickly before he giggled to himself quietly. He rubbed his nose with his pointer finger, embarrassed.

"HA! Sorry kiddo, guess I should introduce myself… Name's Kuya… Kuya Honra."

Molly stayed silent for a brief moment before smiling and turning her body so she was completely facing towards Kuya.

"Hi Kuya, my name's Molly Matsuni." Molly smiled sweetly as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Kuya smiled and did a slight bow, or the best bow he could from his leaned sitting position against the wall.

"Nice to meet you, Molly… Now that we are introduced, you want to tell me what a young lady such as yourself did to be dragged into these prison cells?" Kuya asked with a raised brow.

Molly cast her eyes towards the floor sadly before her sight drifted slowly towards her bandaged hand. She played with her bandaged fingers in her left hand as she sighed.

"I don't know why I'm here… " Molly whispered out. Her voice was barely a mumble, just loud enough for Kuya to follow. "These ladies came and took me from my father and my friends. She said I'm a very important piece in some huge plan she's involved with."

Kuya looked at her intently before he turned his gaze to look at her bandaged hand. His brows furrowed and his mind began to churn.

"_This little girl couldn't possibly be a…" _

"Molly… did those ladies happen to call you something?" Kuya asked.

"Huh? Well they called me a brat…" Molly replied in a saddened tone.

"No, no… I mean like… well… something similar to Maro Hido, or something like that?" Kuya said in a flustered tone as he did his best to remember what those men had called him a week prior.

"Oh, ya! They called me a… umm… Miru Hito?" Molly responded in a questioning tone, not quite sure if she was correct.

Kuya popped back to attention as he snapped loudly, the sound echoing slightly in the cave cells.

"Ya!" he said loudly with a smile. "That's what it was called! Miru Hito!"

Molly furrowed her brow and tilted her head to the side.

"What's a Miru Hito, Kuya-San?"

Kuya took in a long drawn-out breath as he pointed his pointer finger into the air, seemingly about to inform the young girl and answer her question. Yet after a brief moment of silence, Kuya let his hand drop to his side as he exhaled roughly.

"I have absolutely no idea…" Kuya said in exasperation. "But they called me the same thing, so that's obviously why both of us are here."

Molly gave Kuya a curious look, finding the young man's antics somewhat humorous. She smiled slightly and let a slight giggle escape her lips. Kuya smiled back at her, not knowing how he made the girl laugh but not thinking it really mattered. He smiled brightly at the girl before he looked down at her bandaged hand once again. His eyes narrowed. He lifted his left hand to his mouth as he bit down on the pointer finger of the leather glove that was on his hand. Since his right arm was broken and in a sling, he had to pull the glove off of with his teeth. He spat the glove onto the floor at his side and looked at the pentagram mark on his palm for a moment before speaking.

"Molly… do you happen to have a mark like this?" Kuya asked as he lifted and turned his hand so his palm was facing towards her, showing the slightly glowing pentagram star.

Molly looked at the mark and her eyes grew wide with shock. She gazed at the mark with her mouth slightly agape before she blurted out in a high pitched tone.

"YOU HAVE A MARK, TOO?!"

Kuya flinched at the sound and tried to laugh off the new ringing that bombarded his ears.

"I'll take that as a yes, haha!"

Molly blinked a few times before she began to pull of the bandages on her hand quickly and haphazardly. Not long after, she pushed her bare hand forward towards Kuya, showing off the flower mark that adorned her small hand. Kuya frowned slightly as he studied the mark.

'_Just as I thought… she's just like me," _he thought quietly to himself as he watched Molly pull her hand back to her side and wrap it back up. _"So… is this what being a Miru Hito is? Having these marks?' _

"I'm sorry you live with such a curse, Molly…" Kuya said softly as a soft glisten made itself apparent in his eyes. "It must not be easy being so little with such a deadly burden… I hope that mark has never harmed someone you have cared for."

Molly turned her head back to Kuya with her brow raised high on her forehead. She blinked a few times, trying to understand what he meant.

"My mark has never hurt anybody, Kuya-San," Molly responded in a confused tone. "I don't even think it could even if I wanted it to."

Kuya also raised his brow to this, grabbing his attention enough for him to lean forward slightly.

"You mean your mark doesn't… kill people?!" Kuya asked in slight awe.

"No… not at all… It usually allows me to read and listen to the minds of those around me, but this thingy on my arm seems to make it so I can't do that," Molly grumbled out.

Kuya gulped a dry breath as he processed Molly's words.

'_Her mark is different than mine… hers isn't a curse at all!'_ Kuya sat quietly for a moment, watching as Molly finished wrapping her hand before he smiled in relief. _'Thank goodness! Knowing that this little girl doesn't have to go through the pain that my mark brings is extremely relieving.'_

Molly smiled at her handiwork of tying and bandaging her hand again. She looked back up to Kuya, who seemed to have a smile on his face, but his eyes showed hidden pain within them. Molly frowned.

"Is that what yours does?" she asked quietly.

"H… huh?" Kuya grunted out, looking up from the dirt floor in front of him.

"You were surprised my mark didn't kill… Is… is that because that's the power of your mark?" Molly asked with slight hesitation.

Kuya was at a loss for words. His mouth just opened and closed slowly for a few seconds. He eventually closed his mouth a smiled slightly.

"You're smart for a kid your age," Kuya said jokingly, earning a "humph" from Molly.

Kuya smiled wide at this, but his features quickly turned reserved as he began to speak again with a saddened tone.

"But… yes… My mark kills."

Molly noticed the mood swing Kuya had just taken and felt sadness for the man. She had a feeling as to why he was so saddened by his mark's power.

"You… you accidently killed someone you loved… didn't you?" Molly asked in hesitation as she placed her hand over her heart.

Kuya's eyes were now concealed by the shadows of the cave and his head was cast down towards the floor in front of him. He didn't move nor did he respond; he just sat quietly, breathing in and out slowly.

Molly looked away from Kuya to look at her own hand again. She didn't know Kuya very well and she didn't know very much, but even at her age… she knew how much it hurt to lose a loved one.

"I'm sorry, Kuya-San… I shouldn't have-"

"Don't be," Kuya interrupted as he lifted his head to revel puffy eyes that locked with Molly's. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

Molly was about to respond when the small light bulb hanging from the chain between their two cells went out. The two rooms were immediately cast into complete darkness. Molly flinched at the sudden blackness as she looked all around her for a light source, but to no avail.

"Ah! Looks like its lights out time, Kiddo," Kuya spoke up through the dark. "They want us to go to sleep. Why don't you grab yourself some shut-eye, and we will talk more in the morning? Okay, Molly?"

Molly whimpered at this as she quickly turned and crawled her way over to her sleeping mat. After patting around for a few seconds she was able to locate the large rectangular object. She grabbed her tattered blanket and quickly wrapped herself in it to protect herself from the dark.

"Now don't be scared, Molly… I'll see you in the morning, okay?" Kuya spoke out once again, this time earning a soft "Okay" from the girl.

Kuya smiled slightly and made his way over to his own bed. He settled himself in and made himself comfortable. There were a few minutes of silence before Molly's voice rang out again softly.

"Kuya-San?"

Kuya's eyes slightly opened, but it made no difference as it was still pitch black in the cell.

"Yes, Molly?"

"Do… do you think I will ever see my daddy again?" Molly asked in a tone that made it obvious that she was trying to keep herself from crying.

Kuya's body drooped at this as he tried to find the correct way to answer her question. After a moment he smiled slightly.

"Without a doubt, Molly! I'm sure right now as we speak he's out looking for you, and it won't be long before he's here and takes you home!" Kuya spoke in the cheeriest voice he could possibly muster.

There was a moment of silence before Molly decided to respond.

"No… Dad's in no shape to come and rescue me… he's just not a fighter. But I know who will come for me!"

Kuya had to raise his brow at this and he let a slight pout grace his face.

"Oh? And who would that be?"

Molly smiled to herself as she pulled her blanket closer to her chest.

"My best friend, Naruto-Sama!" she said excitedly. "He promised he would come rescue me right before those ladies took me."

Kuya smiled at this and let a slight laugh echo the room. He couldn't help but feel happy that the young girl seemed to hold so much hope in her voice for this Naruto fella.

"Well, then… I'm sure Naruto-Sama will be here soon to rescue us both! Haha!"

Molly smiled and let her eyes shut softly as her body was beginning to long for rest.

"Good night, Kuya-San," Molly whispered as she began to drift off.

"Good night, Molly… Sleep tight."

Kuya rolled to his side and not long after, his soft snoring echoed in the air. Molly laid on her back with her face towards the ceiling. She breathed easily and let a slight smile grace her face.

'_I know you'll rescue me, Naruto-Sama…I just know it!' _

With that thought helping Molly to relax herself, she quickly drifted off to sleep.

-Konoha Hospital-

Naruto's eyes slowly lifted open with a grunt before he slammed them close as the bright ambient lights above stung his pupils. He groaned some more as he opened his eyes slower this time. He blinked a few times before his eyes became accustomed to the intense light in the room. He realized he was on his back staring directly upwards at a plain white ceiling. He groaned as he turned his head to the right to further take in his surroundings.

'_W… where?'_

He noticed the open window located directly next to his bed on the right side. There was a nice warm breeze lofting through that moved his hair slightly. He could see based on the architecture of the buildings outside that he was back home in Konoha. He looked down from the window to see that there was a small table under the window that was holding a vase full of flowers of all colors and sizes. He blinked a few times at this before he turned his head towards the other side of the bed and room. He noticed the unnerving white walls and white… well… everything that was in the room.

'_I must be in the hospital…'_

He noticed that besides his bed and the stand under the window, there wasn't really much else in the room. There were a few metal stands holding IVs and fluid packs, but nothing other than that. There was a small wooden chair that was sitting just next to the left side of his bed, showing that at some point, unannounced to him, he had had a visitor. He blinked slowly as he studied the room before he came back to the ceiling above to which he had woken up to just a few minutes ago.

'_How long has it been? What happened?'_

Naruto continued to look up towards the ceiling, feeling a little fuzzy. The drugs in his system were obviously beginning to wear off, leaving him light headed and groggy. He continued to stare upwards towards the ceiling, not realizing that his room door had just been slid open. His visitors walked forward towards his bed smoothly before stopping directly next to the left side of Naruto's bed. The visitors' eyes widened slightly at seeing Naruto was awake but quickly calmed themselves.

"Good to see you're awake," the man's voice said smoothly and in a laid back tone.

Naruto flinched slightly at the voice and he slowly moved his eyes to the side while his head remained still. He gazed upon the man before him who had just spoke up. He stared at him briefly before he was able to recognize who this man was.

"Kakashi-Sensei…," Naruto mumbled out as the sides of his mouth pulled upwards.

Kakashi pulled out the wooden chair and sat down with his legs crossed. He settled himself and then turned back to Naruto with his signature eye smile. Naruto then noticed the pink blur that moved just outside of his peripheral vision next to Kakashi. Naruto turned his head further to the side just enough that he was able to see Sakura in her hospital uniform replacing his fluid bags and checking on his vitals. She noticed his eyes upon her and she looked out of the corner of her eyes and sent him a smile.

"Good to see you're up Naruto," Sakura said sweetly before she finished her procedures and turned her attention fully to her blonde friend.

Naruto smiled back at her before he looked back to Kakashi. Naruto swallowed a dry breath as he tried to find the strength to speak. The drugs were wearing off, but he was still slightly loopy.

"L… long time… no see, Sensei," Naruto mumbled out in a groggy tone.

Kakashi eye-smiled and nodded.

"Yes, it has been quite a while. I was out on an assignment when you apparently started to rejoin the world outside of your home, and when I finally got back and heard you were out. You were already on your latest mission," Kakashi informed.

Naruto blinked slowly and after a brief moment nodded and smiled before Sakura spoke up.

"How are you feeling, Naruto? Does your head hurt at all or are you in pain at all… anywhere else?"

Naruto blinked a few times as he thought about the question. He needed triple the time he usually would to answer the question with the drugs in his system.

"Well my head feels funny a little bit…" Naruto mumbled out.

Sakura put a hand over her mouth stifling a giggle at how out of it Naruto was acting. She smiled sweetly.

"That's just the pain killers…" she informed. "They'll wear off in about an hour."

Naruto nodded slightly before he grunted uncomfortably. He winced slightly as he shifted his body awkwardly. Sakura noticed this and prepared herself for what she knew was coming. Kakashi also moved so that he was leaning forward in his chair, his elbows on his knees.

"Although, Sakura-Oneesan… my right arm is just killing me! It won't stop throbbing," Naruto grunted out.

Sakura stared at Naruto with a blank face, not knowing how to go about the uncomfortable topic. While she struggled for words, Kakashi jumped in to rescue her.

"Naruto… do you know why you are here? Do you remember what happened?" Kakashi asked in a stern yet caring tone.

Naruto looked at Kakashi with a questioning look as his eyes darted from him to Sakura and back. He tried to remember as best he could, but it was like there was a wall preventing him from grasping the knowledge and memories.

"Well… no, actually. I can't seem to remember. W… why? Did something happen?"

Sakura fidgeted in her standing position and Kakashi stayed in his same leaned forward position as he studied Naruto's face. He was about to speak when Naruto winced and shifted his body again.

Kakashi sighed and downcast his eyes to the floor.

"Naruto… your arm's gone," Kakashi said bluntly as he looked back up and made eye contact with his blonde student. "You lost it about a week ago."

Naruto stared into Kakashi's eyes with an unchanging expression. He held his gaze as if he hadn't even registered what Kakashi had just said.

"Huh...?"Naruto whispered out dryly.

Naruto slowly moved his head from his left towards his right side while his head never lifted from his pillow. He looked down at the right side of his body as best he could from his resting position. The blanket over him was pulled up just under his chin and covered his body with its thick cloth. Yet Naruto could still see that where his arm would have lain… the blanket didn't rise and show its form underneath.

Naruto eyes were wide and blank at this point. With one great sudden motion Naruto sat upright on the bed making the blanket over him fall onto his lap. Sakura and Kakashi flinched slightly at Naruto's sudden movement as they continued to watch his blank face. With the blanket that was previously concealing Naruto's condition now off, he could see that in fact… his arm was gone.

What was left of his arm had been bandaged up in a thick cloth that ran downward to just above where his elbow used to be. The end of his now stubbed limb was rounded and covered in bandages and gauze. The color of the materials that should have been white were a dark maroon color, showing that they had been successful in stopping the blood that seeped from the stitched and still-healing wound underneath. Naruto stared at it with zero expression nor emotion evident on his face.

Sakura and Kakashi watched him closely with sour expressions waiting for him to register the new information. Sakura made a move to walk over to her comrade before Naruto finally spoke up, making her stop before she even started.

"Why does it still hurt, then?" Naruto asked calmly.

Sakura raised her brow and glanced down to Kakashi, who looked back up at her. She turned back to Naruto, who was now looking right at her with a completely calm demeanor.

"If my arm is gone… why can I still feel it hurting?" Naruto asked again.

Sakura recomposed herself and shook off her shock at Naruto's apparently complete acceptance of his new handicap.

"It… It's called ghost pains," Sakura informed him with a reserved tone in her voice. "Your brain still thinks you have an arm and your pain receptors are severed. It will continue to throb like that for a couple more days, but then you should adjust."

Naruto nodded as he looked back down at his arm with the still blank look on his face. Sakura noted how not even Naruto's eyes were giving away his feelings… which was quite rare for Naruto. After an awkward silence among the trio, Kakashi spoke up.

"Do you remember now? The mission… the fight… the girl?"

Naruto kept his eyes on his arm, but he nodded slowly, indicating that his memories were returning. He then turned to look over Sakura as he could vaguely remember she had been pretty banged up when he last saw her in the crater.

"Is your arm okay, Sakura-Oneesan?"

Sakura blinked a few times before she smiled and blushed in embarrassment, rubbing the back of her head childishly.

"Oh, ya! Haha I'm fine Naruto! I was able to summon Katsuyu after you passed out and she help you and I get healed up before we dragged you home!" Sakura informed.

Naruto smiled in relief before his face turned sour and his eyes cold and dark.

"The women we fought… they took her," Naruto said softly. "They took Molly…"

Kakashi eyes softened, as well as did Sakura's. Naruto's mood finally fell slightly and darkened in sadness. Sakura walked forward and put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"It's okay" Sakura said sweetly. "Don't be to down on yourself."

Naruto flung his head upwards and glared into Sakura eyes. His sad mood turned into complete confidence. Sakura flinched once again in shock as Naruto spoke in an unwavering tone.

"I'm not sad Sakura… I'm pissed! The fact that my arm is gone means nothing! When I am able, I will climb my ass out of this bed and I will go after those people. I will hunt them down and crush them! Even with my arm gone, I'll still destroy them! Even if I have to bite them to death! I'll still save Molly! And I will still be Hokage someday! I may I have lost and I may have failed my mission, but mark my words, Sakura-Oneesan! Those bitches made a very… very grave mistake!"

Sakura stared into Naruto eyes with awe. For the first time in a long time… she saw a small fraction of the unwavering confidence Naruto used to hold himself with. She stuttered as she tried to articulate what to say.

"W… w… what mistake was that?"

Naruto eyes focused and darkened as he turned and looked out to the morning sunlight that shown through into the small room. His hand clenched at the blanket, his knuckles popping with the force. There was an unnerving calmness to the room before Naruto answered in a completely confident and vengeful tone.

"They left me alive… and they pissed me off!"

Sakura and Kakashi looked at the back of Naruto's head in awe before both of them slowly relaxed and smiled. They turned to look at each other and, without saying a word, they knew what the other was thinking.

'_Maybe the old Naruto is in there after all.'_

Naruto quickly turned to face his friends once again with a wide grin plastered on his face. Sakura and Kakashi smiled back.

"By the way, Naruto… Tsunade-Shishou and I were thinking of a way we could make an artificial arm for you that would seem like you never lost it at all! So don't be getting to comfortable, you cripple. I'm sure we will come up with something soon, and you'll be good as new!" Sakura said happily, feeding off Naruto's emotions.

Naruto face lit up with that news.

"Really!? You guys could make me a new arm?! That's so awesome, Sakura-Oneesan!" Naruto said excitedly. "Thank you!"

Sakura smiled and raised her finger so it pointed into the air right in front of Naruto's face.

"However… Shishou and I won't even consider putting forth our time for you unless you make me a deal," Sakura said in a stern tone.

Naruto's shoulders slouched slightly as his mood dropped.

"And what's that, Sakura-Oneesan?"

"You are not allowed to leave the village until your new arm is done. I know how boneheaded you are, and you'll run off and get yourself killed in your current state. So no missions or training until you're back to one hundred percent with your new arm… okay?" Sakura said calmly.

Naruto slouched even further with what he had just been told and let forth a long, exaggerated sigh as he flung his head back towards the direction of the window.

"Fiiine… I'll wait for you to fix me up… But how long will it take anyways?!" Naruto asked in a childish tone as he jutted his lower lip upward.

"If we start tomorrow and focus on it thoroughly… I'd guess about… two weeks at the earliest," Sakura informed dryly.

"TWO WEEKS AT THE EARLIEST! ARE YOU HIGH?!" Naruto hollered loudly. "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO FOR TWO WEEKS!?"

Naruto's voice reverberated off the walls off the small room and even made some birds in the distance take flight to get away from the eardrum-bursting sound. Sakura and Kakashi let their hands drop from her ears and gave Naruto death glares.

"Goddammit Naruto, shut up!" Sakura snapped back. "If I hear anymore bitching, you can remain a cripple for the rest of your life, for all I care!"

Naruto sighed harshly once again a looked down towards his lap as he grumbled curses under his breath.

"Fine!"

Sakura rolled her eyes and turned to make her way to the door. She slid the large wooden slab open as she stepped forward into the hall. She looked back over her shoulder with a smirk on her face.

"Got to run boys. I've still got to finish my shift. I'll be back later to check on you Naruto, and I'll see you later Kakashi-Sensei!" Sakura said sweetly as the door to the hall slid shut and she strolled to her next patient.

Kakashi looked from the door where Sakura had just made her departure to the still-grumbling Naruto who was once again looking out the window. Kakashi smiled under his mask as he watched his former pupil. So grown up… yet so childish.

"Naruto… I have something I need to talk to you about," Kakashi said in his usual laid back tone.

Naruto slowly turned his head towards his silver-hair friend with a sour gloom on his face. He grunted in frustration.

"What… you going to tell me even more bad news besides that I'm now a cripple and I failed my mission _and_ let down a little girl who looked up at me?" Naruto asked in a sarcastic and sour tone.

Kakashi tried his best to keep himself from laughing at how quick Naruto could turn from extremely confident to completely down in the dumps and sarcastic. He readjusted himself in his chair so he was now leaning more forward as his eyes showed his now serious expression. Naruto felt the mood swing and also gained some serious to his mood and posture.

"No, Naruto… But I need you to listen to what I have to say, okay?"

Naruto nodded and moved his position slightly so he was facing more towards Kakashi, who had closed his eyes. With a deep and long breath, Kakashi reopened his eyes and began his talk.

"As you know, Tsunade is set to retire in the next couple of weeks and appoint me as the new 6th Hokage," Kakashi began, earning a nod and smile from Naruto.

"Yes… and congratulations by the way, Sensei! Take good care of the village until I step in and relieve you, haha!" Naruto said in a more cheerful tone as he gave a bright smile to his old sensei.

"Thank you, Naruto… but… your dream of Hokage is why I am here right now," Kakashi said calmly. "I have an important request that I feel you might want to take me up on."

Naruto focused on Kakashi as he gained even further interest in what he was about to say.

"Go on…" Naruto said as he gestured with his hand.

"Well… Plainly put, Naruto… I would like for you to be my right hand man…. my advisor."

'_Or in his case as of right now… my left hand man,' _Kakashi thought with a snicker.

Naruto recoiled slightly with eyes wide as he looked at his former Sensei who had regained a completely serious demeanor to him after his chuckle at who knows what. Naruto recovered from his shock with a slight shake of his head. He looked back to Kakashi with a highly raised brow.

"W… what?! Why me, Sensei?" Naruto asked in complete bafflement.

"Well, I know it is your dream to be Hokage, and you're pretty much next in line after me. As a matter of fact, I believe you should be Hokage over me but you aren't the required age of 25 yet. That being said, this would be a great opportunity for you to learn and know the job inside and out before I retire and you take my place," Kakashi said happily.

Naruto listened with a wide open mouth, not able to even believe that he was considered for the title of Hokage and basically was already chosen to be the seventh once he was the right age. Naruto gulped a dry breath as he asked the first thing that came to his mind at the moment.

"Why?"

Kakashi stifled a laugh with a clenched hand over his mouth.

"Well you're the hero of the village and the War for one, and secondly… you may play stupid quite well, but you're one of the most intelligent people I know. You'd be a great fit in the roll… So what do you think… do you accept my offer?"

Naruto looked away from Kakashi to the other side of his bed so he could look out at the beautiful morning sun. He felt his body slouch and his mood quickly diminish into the depression he had felt for much too long.

"But… with everything that's happened… and this mission I just failed… I don't know if I'm ready or able to-"

"I know that you are not in a great place in your life right now Naruto, but do not let that get in the way of your future," Kakashi pleaded, trying to get through to his depression-stricken former student. "Don't let past mistakes keep you from making decisions that can not only brighten your future… but others' as well. I know you can do this, Naruto… I know you _want_ to do this."

Naruto didn't look away from the window and didn't respond quickly. He focused more on the warm breeze that touched his returning sun-kissed face and moved his golden hair. The feeling of his home village always brought warmth to him and help him find peace.

"May I have time to think about it, Kakashi-Sensei?" Naruto finally responded as he look back towards his visitor.

Kakashi looked at Naruto for a brief second before nodding in recognition of the request.

"Absolutely… take all the time you need, Naruto. I know things are difficult for you right now, so I understand."

Naruto smiled in a way that expressed his thanks for Kakashi's understanding of his feelings at the moment. Kakashi smiled back before he made a move and stood up from his precarious sitting position in the small wooden chair.

"Gotta run, Kakashi-Sensei?"

"Ya, got some things to do around town, but hey why don't you get out of here, as well. The outdoors would do you some good!' Kakashi said with a smile under his mask.

Naruto looked at his old friend with a confused look as he glanced to the window behind him and back to Kakashi.

"Huh? Just leave?" Naruto asked in apprehension. "But Sakura-Oneesan would kil-"

"When she finds out, I'll take the blame. With your healing abilities, you are perfectly fine to go out and get some exercise. I'm also sure over the last couple months you've been inside much more than needed," Kakashi said happily.

Naruto gained a huge smile on his face while he started to tug out all of the needles and tubes that were connect to him. He was practically bouncing with excitement.

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei, you're awesome! I'll go get some ramen and then I'll go to a movie or something, since I can't train or Sakura will definitely kill me!"

"Yes, well, just be sure to compose yourself. We don't need to you getting yourself hurt or something like Sakura said, but why don't you go check on the Yamanaka girl while you're out? She fought with you on your last mission didn't she?" Kakashi said in a knowing tone. "I'm sure she would appreciate a visit."

Naruto was already on his feet and making his way to the window before Kakashi's words made him stop in his tracks. Naruto slowly turned back to look at Kakashi with a blank face before he erupted comically.

"AHHHHH I totally forgot about Ino! Is she okay?! What about the others?" Naruto yelled as he grabbed and pulled his hair in frustration at his own stupidity.

Kakashi sweat-dropped as he watched the young man in front of him do a half freak out.

"She's fine, Naruto. She had some chakra burns and some lacerations and punctures on her leg, but besides that, she's perfectly fine. She's actually been by a couple times in the last week, leaving you flowers. You know, the ones over on the small table under the window."

Naruto calmed down at hearing Ino was okay and turned to look at the flowers Kakashi was pointing at. They were the ones he had seen earlier, but he now noticed how extravagant they were. It must have cost quite a pretty penny to give such a beautiful arrangement to him. Kakashi spoke up again as Naruto studied the beautiful flowers.

"As for Shikamaru, Sai, and Choji, they are perfectly okay and the wounds they sustained have been treated already. No need to worry at all."

Naruto turned back to Kakashi and sent him a soft smile of relief.

"Thank goodness… I'm glad I'm the worst off out of everyone," Naruto said softly as he glanced to his crippled arm.

Kakashi nodded and put his hands in his pockets as he walked over to the door and pulled it open before replacing his hand in his pants. He turned and look back to Naruto who was once again looking at the flowers on the stand with a content face.

"Oh, Naruto… Before you head out and visit Yamanaka-San, I have one last thing to say," Kakashi said with an eye smile and a sweet tone.

Naruto looked back to his former sensei with a raised brow.

"Eh?" Naruto grunted.

"Your bare ass is hanging out the back of your robe… Stop by your house and change," Kakashi said in a sweet but blank tone before he slid the door close behind him and made his way down the hall.

Naruto stared at the door where Kakashi formally stood and blushed a deep crimson red as he look over his shoulder to indeed see his bottom sticking out of the folds of his hospital robe.

"AHHHHHHH!"

-Market Districts - 1 Hour Later-

'_Stupid Kakashi, embarrassing me like that!'_ Naruto grumbled to himself as he made his way through the crowded streets of the marketing side of Konoha.

He had stopped by his new apartment and threw on some cargo shorts and a long sleeved, plain black shirt. The right sleeve of the shirt was rolled up to where his arm was bandaged and was safety pinned in place to keep it from falling. He had on some casual black converses he had laying around, with a pair of black ankle socks underneath. He made his way slowly to the Yamanaka flower shop, deciding to walk instead of bound his way over the rooftops. He approached the front glass door to the shop when a sign caught his eye.

'"_Sorry, we're closed?"'_ Naruto read with a questioning tone. _'Are Ino and Ezra out? Where could they be?!'_

Naruto didn't have to question the sign long as the sound of muffled music caught his ear. He could tell that it was coming from inside the shop and decided to at least try the door. He reached forward and grasped the handle. With a slight pull, he found that it was open. He walked inside and found that the lights were indeed on inside, and the loud music was coming from a radio that had been placed on the main counter next to the register. He noted the pop song "Black Widow" by Iggy Azalea was the song playing, and he actually enjoyed this song. He scanned the room, noticing he was the only one around. He didn't even bother to try and announce his presence, knowing no one would be able to hear him over the radio.

'_Hmmm… Maybe they're in the back or something?' _Naruto thought with a raised brow.

He made his way through the store and past the counter into the back room of the medium sized store. He didn't have to look far because Ino's bleached-blonde locks caught his sight in the far back, where she appeared to be working on an arrangement. He noted the bandages that were wrapped around her leg. She was facing just slightly away from him so she had not noticed his entrance. He stepped forward into the room and made his way over to her before he noticed something that made him stop and smile.

'_She's singing along to the song?' _

Ino was bobbing and moving her head side to side and every time she moved her head to look to the side of her to pick a new flower he could see her lips mouthing the lyrics.

_I'm gonna l-l-l-love you until it hurts__  
__Just to get you I'm doing whatever works__  
__You've never met nobody__  
__That'll do you how I do ya__  
__That will bring you to your knees__  
__Praise Jesus hallelujah__  
__I'm-a make you beg for it, plead for it__  
__Till you feel like you breathe for it__  
__Till you do any and everything for it_

Naruto smiled at Ino's antics and didn't want to interrupt her own little personal rock concert she was having, but nevertheless, he needed to get her attention. He decided to backpedal slightly back to the counter where the radio was currently blaring music. With a quick flick of the power button the radio buzzed to a halt and Ino for a brief moment was left mumbling the lyrics to herself.

"You know, you can damage your hearing from listing to music that loudly," Naruto said in a teasing tone.

Ino realized the music had stopped and jumped slightly at the voice behind her. She turned herself on the spinning stool she sat on and look across the small room to where Naruto stood in the doorway. She immediately felt a pull of happiness in her gut at seeing her friend was up.

"NARU-!" Ino began to shout excitedly before she caught sight of the rolled up sleeve of where Naruto's arm used to be, causing her voice to drop. "-to-Kun…"

Naruto noticed the rise and drop in her mood and had a feeling of why that was. He stepped further into the room and leaned himself on a workshop table right next to the one Ino currently sat in front of. He looked at her and the melancholy look she had and sigh.

"Since it's the most obvious thing to talk about… Yes, I lost my arm," Naruto said calmly as he made eye contact with Ino.

Ino looked away from Naruto's arm and went back to working on the flower arrangement in front of her. It was a way to help comfort herself with the sudden sadness that Naruto's condition brought into her.

"I Know… Chouji and Shikamaru had to help carry you home after the mission, so we saw your condition," Ino informed in a soft tone as she placed and arranged a flower into the vase.

She looked away from the vase for a moment to look over to the man she couldn't help but idolize. She noticed there was the usual sadness that was present in his face and demeanor that he held for the last seven months. She noted the slight confidence he held himself with, which was different, but it was hardly the usual heroic demeanor she was used to from Naruto. She eventually made her way to look Naruto in the eyes once again where she felt her mood drop even more.

"I'm so sorry, Naruto… I have no idea what to say or do for you… but I'm so sorry," Ino mumbled out as she felt a lump begin to rise in her throat.

Ino went back to working on her flowers, obviously trying to find a way to take her mind off of the depressing topic they were on. Naruto looked to the floor by his feet and thought of what to say.

"Don't be sorry, Ino… My arm isn't that big of a deal," Naruto almost whispered as Ino continued to distract herself with her work. "Actually… I should be apologizing to you. After all, I let you and the rest of the team down when I let those women take Molly and injure you like they did."

Ino quickly stopped her task and turned her head to lock eyes with Naruto. Her eyes held a fiery passion that took Naruto off guard. He hadn't expected her to react quite like this to what he said.

"What the hell are you talking about, Uzumaki?" Ino asked in a stern tone laced with anger.

Naruto recoiled, realizing his misplaced words, but before he could correct himself, Ino was off.

"You know that I failed as well, don't you?! You're not the only one who fucked up and let Molly down. I also let someone I care about get extremely injured… and that's…" Ino said loudly before dying off towards the end of her rant. "…Heartbreaking."

'_She cares?' _Naruto thought.

"Ino… I'm sorry. I know you're upset about the failed mission as well, and I'm touched you're so beat up about my arm, but please don't worry about it. As soon as Sakura fixes me up I'm heading out and I'm going to get Molly back!" Naruto said confidently.

Ino let her anger fade as she let a slight smile grace her features.

"Well, then… I'm going to! Well get her back together and will put those bitches in the dirt!" Ino said enthusiastically, shooting a thumbs up to Naruto.

Naruto sweat-dropped as he laughed slightly to himself. Ino also began to giggle for a second before she stopped and noticed the bright emotions Naruto was emitting.

"You know, Naruto… I think you're making progress."

Naruto stopped laughing and just looked at Ino with a raised brow. He knew what she meant by that, but he really didn't want to talk about his "feelings" at the moment. He was going to respond when his stomach began to growl loudly, making both of them look down at his stomach. Naruto blushed at his embarrassing bodily sounds.

"You haven't eaten today, have you, Naruto?" Ino asked sweetly with a mocking look on her face.

Naruto rubbed his stomach as the red tinge on his cheeks faded.

"No… I was going to go eat, but I thought I'd stop by and check on you first."

Ino blushed darkly at that and turned her face away to hide from the oblivious man in front of her.

"Y… you were worried about me?" Ino asked sweetly still turned away from Naruto.

"Well, yeah! You are my friend, and I wanted to make sure you weren't hurt. Also, Kakashi-Sensei reminded me earlier about you in the hospital, so I figured why not stop by!" Naruto said, once again completely oblivious to Ino's feelings.

A ton of bricks fell on Ino's flutter fest as she realized Naruto wasn't doing this on his own accord, but had been put up to it by his Sensei.

'_Asshole…' _Ino thought bitterly.

She slowly turned back to look at Naruto with a disappointed and slightly ticked off look as she tried to keep her eye from twitching.

"Gee… thanks," Ino mumbled out sarcastically.

Naruto smiled, thinking Ino was being genuine, causing her to get a little more upset at seeing his stupidity at her comment. She was about to get up and punch the dumbass, but was interrupted when his stomach once again erupted in grumbles, saving Naruto.

"Eh heh… Sorry, looks like I'm hungrier than I thought!" Naruto said shyly as he rubbed the back of his head.

Ino rolled her eyes and spun her stool so she was facing her work again. She returned to her tasks as Naruto just stood there and watched for a few minutes, idolizing her craftsmanship. He noted how carefully and expertly Ino handled every flower as she cut and placed it into the beautiful see-through vase. Every flower had its pot and every flower meshed beautifully with the other. Naruto could help but gaze at the arrangement.

"Aren't you going to go get something to eat, Uzumaki?" Ino grunted out as she continued to cut and trim the flowers, trying to look past the previous frustration she had with him.

Naruto continued to watch her work for a few more moments before registering that she had said something to him.

"Oh! Well ya, but… Ino, how did you learn to arrange flowers like that? If I tried to make a flower arrangement, it would end up spontaneously combusting or something, with my luck!" Naruto said humorously as he emphasized the flames with his arm.

Ino smiled at his joke as she continued to work.

"My father taught me, actually. We used to spend hours just sitting her and making flower arrangements for orders we had. He taught me everything about them and how to handle them, right here in this room. He actually used to sit right there… in that stool."

Naruto looked down to see the stool placed besides Ino's in front of the small table. He felt a knot grow in his stomach. He looked back to Ino to see her eyes had gotten a glossiness to them, indicating her held back tears.

"I…Ino, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to –"

"No… it's okay… talking about him brings him closer you know? Helps keep him home," Ino said softly, just able to keep her emotions under control.

Naruto looked upon her with soft eyes as he indeed know what she meant. Images of his mother and father shot through his mind, as well as Jiraiya. He could feel his own eyes begin to water, but was able to keep it in check. He looked away and found a blank space on the wall suddenly fascinating as he tried to compose himself.

"Dammit Ino, why is it that every time we talk it always seem to get emotional in some way, haha?" Naruto asked jokingly as he laughed.

Ino smiled at this as she gave a wink to Naruto out of the corner of her eye, which Naruto saw.

"I just have that effect on people, I guess, haha," Ino teased.

Naruto smiled at that and noticed that Ino was putting the finishing touches on the arrangement she had been working on. There was a large red bow wrapped around the mid-section of the vase with a card placed underneath. The vase was filled with orange and yellow flowers that gave off a fall season feel to the arrangement. He liked it.

"You done with that one?" Naruto asked.

Ino nodded as she hummed to herself in satisfaction before turning to look at Naruto.

"You like it?" Ino asked in a hopeful tone.

Naruto nodded enthusiastically as he looked at the flowers. He was practically falling onto the table because he was leaning so far forward to get a better smell of the beautiful plants. He took and big breath and straitened himself up as he sighed, quite satisfied with the smell.

Ino smiled at his actions.

"Good, because it was originally supposed to be for you!" Ino said happily as she pushed her finger into Naruto's side jokingly.

Naruto was shocked to hear that and looked between the flowers and Ino with shock.

"For me? Why?" Naruto asked blankly as he pointed to himself.

"What do you mean, 'why?'?" Ino asked cheekily. "I was figuring you were going to be in the hospital, so I thought I'd make you a new arrangement!"

'_That's right! Kakashi-Sensei said she had been bringing flowers while I was out of it!'_

"You didn't have to do that, Ino. I mean, thank you so much, but those flowers must cost a fortune! You don't have to spend your time and money on someone like me!" Naruto pleaded in his best way to keep the girl from getting angry.

"Oh shut it, Uzumaki! I wanted to do it, so I did! Now don't you make a deal of it and just take the damn flowers!" Ino said aggressively as she lifted and pushed the new flower arrangement into his chest.

Naruto wrapped his arm around the vase and did his best to keep it from falling. He rolled his eyes and put the flowers down on the table next to him so he could at least talk to Ino without them blocking his vision.

"Well, thank you, Ino," Naruto said happily with a smile. "I'll definitely take them home with me. Also, thank you for the flowers you sent to the hospital; that was very sweet of you."

Ino huffed and sat down on her stool once again as she pulled a new vase onto the table. She glanced at a paper that was pinned to the wall in front of her for a moment to see what the customer had ordered in their arrangement.

Naruto saw her beginning to work again and an idea popped into his head.

"Hey, Ino?"

"Hmm?" Ino grunted while cutting tulips.

"Why don't you come to lunch with me? My treat?" Naruto said happily as he jutted a thumb into his chest.

Ino stopped her work and looked over at Naruto in slight shock. She blinked a few times, thinking about the question.

"Why?" she eventually asked, still slightly ticked at how rude he had been with her earlier.

"Well, because I think it would be nice, you know?! Also, when you treated me to ramen a couple weeks ago, I wasn't very good company and I left rather quickly… So I thought I'd make it up to you!"

Ino raised her brow and pouted her lip as she thought about the proposition for a second. She looked back to the list of orders that was on the wall and she sighed in exasperation.

"I would love to, Naruto…" Ino said in a sad tone. "(Sigh)"

'_Honestly… I really would!'_

"But I'm really behind on the shop orders and I'll fall really behind if I don't get all of these done today… so I'm afraid I'm a no go for lunch," Ino said with a disappointed pout.

"Oh… I'm sorry to hear that, Ino," Naruto said softly as he looked over at the large list on the wall.

"You know, I could help you bust some of these out, if you want!" Naruto then said excitedly with a gleam in his eye.

Ino pondered that idea for a moment, thinking how sweet it was of him to offer.

'_I could use an extra hand…'_ Ino thought before her face turned blue, realizing Naruto only had one hand.

"A… are you okay?" Naruto asked with a raised brow, noticing the pale look that spread over her face suddenly.

With a quick shake of her head, Ino brushed the slip up she just thought of from her mind. She turned to Naruto and giggled embarrassingly before she was able to calm herself.

"Ya, I'm fine, sorry, and don't worry about it. No, I got, it Naruto-Kun, you need to eat, so I won't hold you up. And besides," she said with a shake of her head, "you don't know how to do arrangements, so it would be easier for me just to focus on doing them."

Naruto pouted and let his shoulders drop for a brief second before he found a new argument for his side of the conversation.

"But I'm a super-fast learner! You could just give me some pointers, and I'll surly help you get this done quicker!" Naruto said pleadingly with big puppy dog eyes.

Ino rolled her eyes and turned her head to the side with crossed arms. She wouldn't admit it… but it was a super cute look on him. She looked out of the corner of her eye to see that Naruto was still putting on the begging puppy show and she could feel her will to fight it fading. Eventually, Ino sighed loudly.

"How about I cut you a deal, Naruto?" Ino said calmly with lazy, half-open eyes.

Naruto dropped his glossy-eyed look and raised his brow at her question. He leaned himself against the table once again and motioned with his hand for her to continue.

"Go on," Naruto said questioningly.

"I won't let you help me today… but since you want to make it up to me… I do have a busy day with running the shop tomorrow, and I have to run to the academy later in the day and do a favor for Iruka-Sensei. So if you leave me to my work so I can finish… you can help me out tomorrow, and we'll be even on the lunch you owe me," Ino said with a smile and wink.

Naruto thought about the proposition as he placed his hand on his chin and scratched it dramatically.

"Hmmm..." Naruto groaned as he stared at Ino with a calculating gaze.

'_Well… I haven't seen Iruka-Sensei in a while….'_

"Alright Ino, you got yourself a deal!" Naruto said excitedly. "I'll be back here to pester you tomorrow at… uh?"

"The shop opens at nine," Ino said with a smile.

"To pester you at nine!" Naruto said loudly with a finger pointed in the air.

Ino giggled and waved him off with her hand for him to leave.

"Well then get out of here, dummy, so I can work, or the deal's off!" Ino said jokingly with a sly smile.

Naruto nodded at this and turned to make his way out the door with a wave over his shoulder.

"See you tomorrow, Ino!"

"See ya, Naruto-Kun"

Naruto turned the corner past the door way back into the front area of the shop. He walked past the cashier's desk and, without breaking stride, he turned back on the radio, this time with the volume lowered. He continued forward and out the front entrance into the busy streets of the village, heading off to his favorite restaurant.

Ino smiled to herself and turned on her stool back to the vase and flowers that were in front of her. With a quick hand to bat her bangs out of her face, she began to work, but her mind was other places.

'_Hm… That guy always finds a way to surprise me,' _she thought to herself in a sweet tone_._

Ino turned her head to the side so she could pick up another flower when an object on the edge of her table caught her attention.

'_That idiot forgot his flowers! Ugh… I guess he'll just have to take them home tomorrow.'_

Ino looked at the flowers meant for Naruto while a large smile slowly spread across her face. A slight tint graced her cheeks as she sighed with emotion.

'_I really wanted to help you get back to where you were before the war Naruto, but the funny thing is… The more we spend time with each other… the more I learn about you, and you about me... I can't help but ask myself… Am I helping you, Naruto-Kun? Or in the end… is it the other way around?'_

She continued to stare blankly at the orange and yellow flowers in front of her as she recalled the conversation she had with Sakura a few days ago.

-_Flashback 3 days prior, Konoha Hospital-_

_The door to Naruto's room slid open, allowing Sakura to step in and check in on her favorite blond. As she closed the door behind her, though, she found herself looking at the back of another blonde she knew quite well sitting in the wooden chair next to Naruto's bed._

"_I see you're here again, Ino," Sakura said sweetly, making Ino turn and look back at her approaching form. _

_Sakura walked up next to Ino and gave her a sweet smile, which Ino happily returned. _

"_Ya… I brought him some flowers and I thought I'd just take a break and give him some company," Ino responded before she turned back to look at the still-sleeping Naruto in front of her._

_Sakura walked over to the monitors next to the bed and began to jot down some notes on her clipboard. There was silence in the room while Sakura did this, with the only sound being the tapping of the pencil. After a minute or so, Sakura walked over to Naruto and placed her hand on his forehead to make sure he wasn't burning up._

"_All of his vitals check out…" Sakura said calmly. "He should be waking up in the next couple days." _

_Ino smiled slightly at this, but kept quiet as she continued to look at Naruto, watching the slow but steady rise and fall of his chest under the blankets. Sakura noticed the far off look in her friend's eye and frowned slightly._

"_You okay?" Sakura asked softly while putting the notes and clipboard for Naruto in the slot at the end of his bed. _

_Ino didn't look away from Naruto, but her frown deepened._

"_It's my fault, you know…" Ino mumbled out as she played with her hands in her lap. _

"_Huh…? What is?" Sakura asked with a confused look._

_Ino closed her eyes and tilted her head towards the floor. She stayed silent for a few moments as Sakura stared at her with concerned eyes. Eventually, Ino spoke again._

"_He needed me to cover for him while the poison was flushed from his body, thanks to one of his tailed beasts. All he needed was for me to buy time for him… and in the end… I wasn't able to do that… A task that was so freaking simple, a Genin could do it. I ended up getting hurt, and he had to fight once again, even though the poison left him in no shape to do so. In the end, he had to fight the battle himself… which caused his mark to go haywire, and for his arm… to…" _

_Sakura looked at her friend and tried to find the right words to say, but Ino started mumbling sadly once again. _

"_He's now crippled… we lost Molly… and failed the mission… all because I couldn't buy him five fucking minutes," Ino said bitterly as a single tear ran down her face. _

_Sakura listened with a stern look as she thought about her friend's words. She finally walked over and sat herself on the very edge of Naruto's bed in front of Ino, trying to not disturb him. She looked across at Ino, whose eyes were still closed and downcast away from her. _

_Sakura took a deep breath before speaking softly. "You're wrong, you know… about everything you just said." _

_Ino turned her head upwards and opened her wet, glossy eyes and looked at Sakura questioningly._

"_You didn't fail… we all failed. We weren't able to figure out Molly was the target and Hiro wasn't. Also, Naruto's arm and the explosion were a complete freak accident that had nothing to do with you. So please, don't feel that was your fault, Ino. I know Naruto will say you did a great job, and he would have zero complaints on your performance. So stop beating yourself up… Please…"_

_Ino stared at Sakura for a moment before she wiped the tears away from her eyes with her arm aggressively. She turned away from Sakura and back to Naruto, who was quietly snoring. She smiled._

"_Thank you, Sakura…" Ino said softly and sniffled at her now runny nose. _

"_Hey… and if you're so concerned that your performance during the mission wasn't where you wanted it to be… why don't you do what Naruto would do?" Sakura asked slyly. _

_Ino turned back to Sakura with a raised brow._

"_What would that be?" Ino asked, genuinely curious as to what Sakura meant._

_Sakura leaned forward so she was only a few inches from Ino's face and whispered._

"_Train… and never give up."_

_Ino blinked a few times at her advice and slowly looked back to Naruto. She watched him sleep for a moment before she nodded with confidence. _

"_Then that's what I'll do… I won't let any more of my friends get hurt… I promise myself this… On Naruto's right arm, I promise." _

_Sakura smiled at the fire in Ino's eyes and couldn't help but feel energized by Ino's words. She looked between Naruto and the still staring Ino and felt that this would be a good time as any to ask the question tapping on the back of her mind. _

"_Ino… can I ask you a question?"_

_Ino looked back to her friend and quickly gave her a dirty look._

"_If it's that stupid ass question about my ex, then I have no intention of-"_

"_No, not that," Sakura interrupted. "I was actually going to ask… when, why, and freaking how did you develop a fondness for Naruto, of all people?"_

_Ino recoiled at the question as her face lit up in many shades of red and pink._

"_W… w… well I… I," Ino stuttered as her face became redder and redder. "W… why do you want to know?"_

"_I'm just curious on how all of this came about. You used to find the guy annoying, and nowadays, you can't be in the same room as him without blushing. It's like you're the new Hinata, or something," Sakura said with a tease. _

_Ino looked away from Sakura and back to Naruto and kept her eyes on him. She could feel the redness in her cheeks begin to fade as she composed herself. She took in a deep breath as she thought about the question properly. Pulling her bangs behind her ear, Ino smiled sweetly and began her reason. _

"_I guess… it didn't just happen out of the blue one day, but more of… an accumulation of things that have happened over the years," Ino said sweetly. _

_Sakura scrunched her face and gestured for her to continue. _

"_Like what, exactly? And when did you finally figure out you did like him?" Sakura asked curiously with her arms crossed. _

_Ino pondered the question with a pouted lip and a scrunched brow. She watched the rise and fall of Naruto's chest and eventually came to her answer._

"_Well, over the years, he has always just been such an idiot and annoyance, but at the same time, he brings such light and happiness to the people he interacts with. I ended up being no different and quickly found my mood being heightened with just Naruto's presence. I found that he was a good friend, and I would find myself getting excited when I saw him. Then, after the war… he just disappeared from the world. He locked himself in his apartment and refused to come out for anyone."_

_Sakura nodded, understanding of all of her reasoning so far._

"_Everyone was… not quite right, while Naruto was away. All anyone seemed to talk about was if he was okay and if we should just barge in and pull him outside. Everyone wanted him back, and that's when I started to see how much Naruto affected everyone. He made all of us happy and helped us feel safe, no matter what the problem or danger was. I started to question what he meant to me after he locked himself away."_

_Sakura nodded once again and gestured for Ino to continue._

"_At first I couldn't find an answer. I missed him and wanted him back, but as a friend at the time. Then Sai and I began to date, and my thoughts were pulled from Naruto for the time being. I had everything I thought I wanted with Sai, but in the end after it all crashed and burned four months later… I felt lost. I would constantly recall the dream I had when I was captured by the great tree in the war. It was supposed to reflect a world the person most desired, but… at the time my dream was nothing more than a love triangle between myself, Sai, and Sasuke."_

_Sakura gave an expression to show she was surprised to hear of her dream. She thought over it for a moment, and then Ino began once more._

"_I liked the dream after I woke up and the fight was over. Yet as time passed and our relationship ended... I realized the dream was nothing more than my childhood fantasies that I always wanted to live, but later realized that was never what I wanted, nor need to begin with. So after my self-bashing at being such a fool to fall for Sai and chase after Sasuke, who had no interest… I found my thoughts once again on Naruto. I thought about how he would have been able to cheer me up, and how he would have known how to make it all better. I wanted him to come help... to come rescue me and give me the advice I was searching for. Then that's when it hit me… it became clear as day, like a spotlight had been put on my feelings. I didn't want a dark, brooding, bad boy like I thought I did. I wanted a kind-hearted, bright, sympathetic guy… I wanted… someone like Naruto."_

_Sakura smiled at seeing her best friend light up when talking about her spiritual little brother. She felt happy Ino had found this out for herself._

"_Not long after, Naruto emerged from his home, and I ran into him while I was shopping. I was so excited to see him, I had no idea how to express it. Yet Naruto… wasn't the bright ray of light I always remembered him. I wanted to help… I wanted to save him from his darkness. Just like he was helping me from mine… even if he didn't even know he was. So I vowed to myself that I would bring him back to his old self… I would help him. So, I guess, you can say that brings us to today. I'm just a woman who's trying to help the man she has a crush on… Does that answer your question well enough, Billboard Brow?"_

_Sakura smile her widest yet and gave a slight nod and wink to her friend. _

"_Yes… yes it does!" Sakura said happily. "But, I must be going now and finish up my shift before Shishou kills me for running behind."_

_Ino recoiled at this and stood up from her seated position. _

"_W… what?! That's it?! You don't have anything to say to that?! I just poured my heart out to you, and you're just gonna leave?!" Ino hollered, a little too loudly, as her fists balled at her side._

_Sakura smiled and made her way over to the door and pulled it open. She stepped out into the hall and turned with a large smile spread across her face._

"_I'm glad you two have each other; in any way, you guys seem to fit. Also, wherever your feelings take you with that idiot… just be sure to do me a favor, Ino," Sakura said sweetly._

"_And what's that?" Ino asked aggressively, still ticked that Sakura was just up and leaving._

_As Sakura slid the door closed, she leaned in and whispered her request._

"_Take care of each other… because if you two do get together… you have my blessing." The door slid closed after her words._

_-End Flashback-_

"Hmm," Ino grunted to herself.

She smiled to herself softly at the memory and began to work on her current flower arrangement as Sakura's words fluttered in her head. As Ino placed the finishing touches on the flowers, she took a deep breath and finished her thought.

'_Sakura… Thank you.'_

End Chapter 9


	11. Chapter 10 Be a Failure

An: 1 (Hope you all had a great holiday break and your December was amazing! Want to wish you all a late Christmas and happy Hanukkah or anything you may celebrate as well as a happy new year! I know a lot of people wanted me to post a new chapter quickly but the month of December is a time for me to relax and unwind with family as I'm sure you guys do as well. So I hope that the fact that this chapter took a little longer than desired can be over looked. You know I just want to say thank you to all of the readers and fans of this story who have read every chapter up till now. I started this off a whim and now it's grown into this massive multi-level story that I can't wait to continue. Anyways you guys are great and thank you for making this experience so enjoyable!)

**(Long and very dialogue-heavy chapter!)**

Chapter 10: Be a Failure

"Ahhhhh! Good morning, Naruto-San! You're up early this morning!" Mr. Ichiraku announced loudly as a tired and groggy blond man pushed aside the curtains to his stand.

Naruto was wearing his usual military black sandals as well as black cargo pants and a long-sleeved orange shirt, his signature orange-and-black swirl over his left breast. The right sleeve was rolled up, once again to hide his severed arm underneath. His hair was down with his headband left at home for the day. Naruto gave a half-assed wave to his longtime friend before he collapsed roughly onto one of the stools and laid his head onto the counter. Mr. Ichiraku watched with amusement and laughed loudly.

"What brings you in this morning!?" Mr. Ichiraku asked enthusiastically as he turned to begin making Naruto's breakfast, already knowing that he most likely wanted the usual. "You are usually here around noon!"

"Grkmmvfnvm," Naruto mumbled into the counter top, not bothering to raise his head.

"What was that? I can't hear you through the wood!" Mr. Ichiraku replied jokingly.

Naruto sighed and slowly lifted his head off of the counter and looked with tired, baggy eyes at the elderly man across from him.

"I'm up because I'm going to help out Ino with her shop…" Naruto mumbled sleepily with half open eyes. "Remember?"

"AH! Yes, that's right; you told me yesterday when you came in for lunch! HAHAHAHA!" Mr. Ichiraku voiced with a loud laugh, earning a wince from Naruto.

'_How in holy gods is he this cheery at 8 in the freaking morning!?'_ Naruto thought with a sigh and grumble.

"Ah, but why do you seem so tired? You look like you were hit by a bus."

Naruto flinched at the question as the memory of a conversation he couldn't shake from his thoughts had kept him from sleep last night.

"I, uh… I had a nightmare… so I couldn't sleep real well," Naruto lied with a rub of the back of his head.

At this, all Mr. Ichiraku could do was laugh and shake his head.

"Ah! Well then, I'll go and hurry up with your meal!" Teuchi said with a smile before turning and beginning to prep Naruto's favorite. "I know that will give you the strength you need for the day!"

Naruto leaned forward once again resting his chin on the counter top with his eyes closed just slightly. He knew the words kept circling in his head, but not even after all night and this morning…could he rid himself of the gloom that encircled him after such a chat.

_-Flashback-_

"_ZzZzZ"_

"_**Naruto…"**_

"_Erm… ZzZzZz"_

"_**Naruto!"**_

"_(Incoherent Mumble)… ZzZzZzZ"_

"_**NARUTO!"**_

"_Huh! Where's the fire?" Naruto asked loudly as he shot up into a sitting position on his bed._

_Naruto scanned his bedroom with baggy eyes to find he was the only one occupying the space. _

'_What…?' _

"_**It was me, dumbass**__!" Kurama hollered from Naruto's subconscious. _

"_Huh? Kurama… what do you want?" Naruto asked in a groggy tone out loud, looking at this clock on the night stand beside his bed before allowing himself to fall back and land his head on his soft pillow roughly. "It's three in the morning…" _

"_**We need to talk," **__Kurama said dryly._

'_Can't it freaking wait!? I really… want to… ZzZzZz'_

"_**WAKE UP, BOY!" **__Kurama hollered in absolute anger. _

"_HUH!? WHAT!?"_

"_**Pay the hell attention! I have some information for you that I'm sure you'd like to know about that damned mark you have!"**__ Kurama yelled with a growl. _

_Naruto stayed still for a moment before his eyes shot open, emerging into his subconscious now and standing directly in front of the large orange fox, remembering a specific event from the last battle he couldn't possible forgive._

'_Speaking of my mark! What the hell happened to you when it went and backfired on me!? I was left defenseless and you were nowhere to be found! Not even the other eight demons! So like… What the fuck, Kurama!?' Naruto yelled back angrily in his subconscious. _

_Kurama rolled his eyes, as well as the other demons who had decided to join in on the conversation. _

"_**I didn't answer you because my chakra, as well as the others', were drained, just like yours, fool! We all passed out from exhaustion!"**__ Kurama____retorted with a scowl on his face. _

'_Humph!' Naruto vocally scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. 'Well then… what were you saying about the mark?'_

"_**Naruto… we all have been talking and we believe we might know why the mark went and exploded like it did," **__Gyuki spoke up with what sounded like concern in his strong voice. _

_Naruto could feel the tension that was now becoming evident from his friends and tightened his fists by his sides. He looked from one demon to the other, waiting for them to explain their thoughts. Eventually, Kurama spoke up once again. _

"_**Naruto… before we were on better terms… how did you usually gain access to my power?" **__Kurama asked calmly, looking down at the small blond man. _

_Naruto looked down towards the water around his ankles as he pondered the question. _

'_Well… it usually came forward whenever I was angry or upset. It's like your chakra-'_

"_**Fed off of your emotions?" **__Kurama interrupted with a smirk._

_Naruto looked back up from the water to look at Kurama with a raised brow. _

'_Y… yeah!'_

"_**Naruto, your mark is the exact same way!" **__Son Goku chimed in. __**"It feeds off of your emotions and feelings! Well… as far as we believe, that is."**_

'_Wait… what you mean, as far as you guys know!? He was your dad, so how do you not know what his 'Gifts' do?!' Naruto shot back with irritation while using his fingers as air quotes. _

"_**Yes, he indeed was our creator; but this mark… or should I say, marks… are like nothing we've ever seen before," **__Gyuki spoke out with a flustered look. _

'_Well… do you at least know why it blew off my arm!?' Naruto asked in growing frustration._

_There was a sudden awkward silence in the chamber as all of the demons looked at one another. Finally, they all looked to Kurama, deciding he should be the one to answer. _

"_**During the war, Naruto… what emotions were you feeling? What were your intentions, and also, what were your thoughts?" **__The large fox asked.___

_Naruto raised a brow at the question. Placing his thumb under his chin, he thought deeply of the topic. _

'_I guess… I didn't really feel anything,' Naruto replied slowly, thinking over every word in his answer carefully. 'I was calm… and filled with confidence. I felt like I could take on the world after the Old Sage gave me the mark. I no longer felt anger, or resentment, or even urgency… I just felt… confident.' _

"_**And Naruto… what of the last battle we fought? What of the Rain Country mission?" **__Kurama asked calmly, already knowing of the answer he would receive. _

_Naruto's mood changed slightly, his posture slouching and his head tilting downwards, with hollow, dull eyes. _

"_I… I felt… I felt unsure of myself,' Naruto replied, much quieter than before. 'I didn't know if I could handle a mission, and yet I was on one. I felt scared, because I knew my friends were relying on me when I didn't know if I could even rely on myself. I felt angry that I was being so weak, and I felt ashamed because I was not being honest with myself. I… I felt… like I was trapped within my own darkness.' _

_There was a silence in the room. Eventually, Kurama broke it, seeming to jump topics slightly. _

"_**As far as we know right now, there have been three marks given out by the Great Sage," **__Kurama spoke calmly, acknowledging Gyuki's words.__** "The one given to you, the one given to Sasuke, and lastly, the one given to that young girl. However, there are likely more that we don't know of yet.**_

"_**Those women we encountered referred to you and the girl as Miru Hito. They also went as far as to give a name to the young girl's mark." **__Kurama continued with a nod, earning a slight nod from Naruto.___

'_Miru Hito of Purity!' Naruto said in a whisper._

"_**Naruto, I studied that girl after you she showed us the mark on her; do you know what I noticed about her?" **__Kurama asked, earning a raised brow from Naruto. __**"She was just what the Sage had called her before gifting her the mark she'd told of in her story… She was pure, Naruto. Her chakra, her words, and even her aura. She was almost perfect."**_

'_What are you trying to say?' Naruto asked, becoming more confused as Kurama rambled on. _

"_**I'm saying this because that girl was using her pure chakra to activate her mark's power. I'm saying this, Naruto... because the reason your arm is gone is because your mark did not have the proper chakra at its disposal!" **__Kurama finished with a low growl in his voice. _

'_W…WHAT?!' Naruto yelled back in confusion, not having any idea of what he meant by that. _

"_**Here, Naruto… I'll make it simpler for you," **__Gyuki said with a smile. __**"What Kurama is trying to say is that your mark seems to run off the light chakra you usually emit. It's similar to how Molly's pure nature and chakra allow her mark to function. As such, your chakra is usually filled with life and beaming with confidence! Yet… during the last battle, your chakra was not like that at all. It was dark… and it felt forced. Do you know why that is, Naruto-San?" **__Gyuki asked with a saddened look._

_Naruto was now shell-shocked from hearing this and could only stand in place with wide eyes, feeling his shoulders beginning to shake._

"_I... I, uh… n… no"_

"_**During the war after the mark was bestowed upon you, you had left all of your past mistakes and fears behind you. You felt no anger and felt no worry; all that you wanted to do was protect the people you cared for. As such, you, as well as your chakra, were the absolute definition of Light. You were completely without darkness**__," Kurama stated, watching the still shocked Naruto shake like he had a chill. __**"But… over the last seven months… the darkness in your heart that you had been able to rid yourself of has once again manifested itself within you. The blackness you were able to come to understand at the waterfall of truth has once again consumed your being… tainting your chakra. Because of this, when you went to use your cloak… the dark, tainted chakra within you kept it at bay. Lastly, the Sun Mark on your palm was also overcome by this darkness. Feeding off of this dark chakra instead of the needed light… the mark backfired, and led to your current condition."**_

_Naruto gritted his teeth and closed his eyes even harder as Kurama's words sunk in._

'_All of it… all of it was because I… I wasn't holding myself with pure and honest intentions?' Naruto asked to no one but himself, his eyes now downcast and hidden behind his bangs. _

"_**Over the past few months, you have berated and cursed yourself. You have thought of nothing but dark thoughts and harmful intentions. You even went as far as to blame yourself for every bad thing that has happened since your birth. You locked yourself away and surrounded yourself in self-loathing. You kept yourself in the darkness of what happened to the Uchiha for so long… you tainted your entire self being," **__Kurama finally finished his explanation, still looking at the downcast man below him. __**"You lost your arm, Naruto… but only because you lost yourself."**_

_Naruto stood silently in the center of the nine demon circle around him. His balled fist shook at his side and his shoulders trembled with emotion. For a moment, all that could be heard was Naruto's ragged breathing. Finally, Naruto slid from his subconscious… unable to think of anything more that needed to be said._

_-End Flashback-_

Naruto looked down at the brown, shiny counter top he was currently laying his head on, his thoughts more clouded than ever at the moment. Though, through all of the thinking and lost sleep, Naruto couldn't stop thinking of what someone already had known even long before the accident in Rain Country.

'_You were right all along, Ino… the sooner I pick myself up… the better. All of this self-loathing and depression is indeed hurting me, but now I know… even worse off… it's changing me.'_

Not long after, Naruto's bowl of hot, steaming ramen was placed before him, making him look up from the counter again and breaking him from his deep, trancelike state. Naruto looked at the bowl with a large smile, the noodles somehow blocking his thoughts for the time being. Reaching forward and grasping a pair of chopsticks from the stand, Naruto began to fiddle with the thin pieces of wood as he grumbled curses to himself.

"Still can't eat with your left hand yet, huh?" Teuchi asked with a slight frown.

Naruto slammed the chopsticks onto the counter after his fifth failed attempt to pick up the noodles.

"YES! This is freaking bull! Why did I have to lose my dominant arm?! I can't even do anything anymore! Have you ever tried to put on laced shoes with one hand?! It's absolutely impossible! UGGGHHHH!" Naruto complained loudly as he continued to hit the counter in aggravation. "This day has been hell, and it's not even NOON YET!"

"Relax…" Teuchi pleaded, trying to calm the aggregated young man, not knowing of the real reason he was so gloomy. "You said yesterday that Sakura was trying her best to make you a new arm, so just try and deal for a little bit longer."

Naruto sighed and slumped against the counter as he stared at the warm broth before him.

"Just… give me a fork again," Naruto ordered softly with pouting eyes and a twitch.

Mr. Ichiraku laughed slightly and pulled out the utensil from behind the counter that Naruto had used the previous day. Within seconds, Naruto was shoveling the hot soup into his gullet with loud slurps and grunts. Teuchi turned back to his cooking while Naruto indulged himself. Not long into his meal though, someone decided to enter the small stand behind him and interrupted his focus with a small squeak.

"Hm?" Naruto grunted out as he turned to look over his shoulder for the origin of the small, high pitched noise. Noodles hung from Naruto's mouth with stuffed cheeks that made him look like a gerbil at the moment.

"N…Naruto-Kun!" The shy young woman said quietly as her eyes began to grow wide with shock.

Naruto eyes widened as well as he recognized the woman before him. With a large gulp, he swallowed the food in his mouth so he could greet his longtime friend.

"Oi! Hi, Hinata! Long time, no see!" Naruto said excitedly with a large grin on his face.

Hinata was in a lavender summer dress that reached just past her knees. A small white hand bang hung over her left shoulder, with a flower placed upon the strap. Her feet were covered in white flip flops that matched her bag perfectly.

Hinata fought the blush that raised to her cheeks as she gulped a dry breath. She had been aware of Naruto's return from the rumors she had heard lofting around, but instead of excited, she had been actually quite aggravated by all of the attention Naruto was getting after the war. No one used to bat an eye at him, but suddenly, it seemed like all the single women of the village ever talked about was how _cute _or _handsome_ Naruto was. It was nice that he was getting his rightly deserved attention, but… something deep down didn't feel right about it to Hinata.

"N… Naruto-Kun! I'm very happy to see y-" Hinata began sweetly but was stricken to a stop at the sight of Naruto's right side.

There was a sudden awkward silence in the stand as even some of the other customers seemed to have quieted down for some reason. Naruto open his eyes from his wide toothy grin to see an awe-stricken Hinata who had tears threatening to emerge from her shocked eyes. Naruto's expression changed to worry as he followed her eyes to what she was staring at. At seeing what had grabbed her attention and turned her mood so quickly, Naruto frowned as he looked at his arm.

"Y… y… your…" Hinata tried to squeak out as the tears in her eyes built even further.

"Ah… ya, I guess you wouldn't know about my little accident, would you, huh?" Naruto asked in a solemn tone, looking over to the distraught woman. "But you don't have to worry! Saku-" Naruto began, but was interrupted as Hinata sat quickly onto the stool on his right side, still staring at his arm in shock.

Hinata reached forward and touched his upper arm gently with her hand before quickly pulling away as if Naruto would shatter with just a touch. Her mood changed from sorrow to a sternness as she looked back into Naruto's eyes with a confident glare.

"How?"

It was all she asked, but her tone held a firmness that actually made Naruto feel uncomfortable. Not at all familiar with this side of Hinata, he stared at her for a moment before he found himself able to speak again.

"Uh… well, on my last mission, I got into this fight with this crazy bow lady, and I tried to use my Sun Mark to heal Ino, and–"

"Ino!?" Hinata interrupted once again, her mood changing back to sorrow and fear. "Is Ino-?"

"No, no; Ino is fine, trust me…" Naruto said, trying to reassure the emotional Hinata. "Out of everyone on the mission I was by far the worst off,"

Hinata looked down from Naruto's eyes and stared sadly at the counter top before her. She was glad no one else had been hurt as badly… but she wasn't at all happy with Naruto's condition. After a moment of silence between the pair, Naruto decided to continue his short explanation.

"Ya… well, when I tried to heal Ino with my mark… well… I don't really know what happened… but it back fired, and I guess to keep it simple… my arm went POP!" Naruto said half-jokingly, trying in the best way he could to lighten the conversation.

"That's horrible, Naruto-Kun…" Hinata said quietly, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Ya… well don't be too down about it, okay? Sakura-Neechan is working with Baa-Chan to make me a new one!" Naruto stated confidently as he flashed Hinata a Maito Gai pose. "Then I'm going to go fix the mission I failed and bring Molly home! So please, don't freak out about it any further, okay? I'll be as good as new before any of us know it!"

Hinata looked back up with shock once again written on her face as even more questions reeled through her head after what Naruto just said.

'_New arm? Neechan!? Molly?'_

Before she could even begin to fire off questions, Naruto spoke up, bringing her back to earth.

"Breakfast?" he asked with a smile.

"H…huh?" Hinata replied blankly as another blush colored her cheeks.

Naruto laughed slightly and patted Hinata on the back, knowing he had just interrupted her thoughts.

"I asked if you wanted to join me for breakfast. I haven't seen you in a long ass time and by the confused and disheveled look on your face, I'm sure you have some questions for me. So… why don't I catch you up with all that's been going on over breakfast? My treat!"

Hinata looked at Naruto with a large blush on her face as she tried to get her mouth to say yes. After a moment of fighting her own body, she was able to manage a small nod. She cursed at herself for being so childish after all this time.

"HAHA! Great! Yo, Old Man, we need another bowl of ramen over here for Hinata!" Naruto said excitedly, making his companion blush an even deeper shade of pink.

'_Naruto-Kun… you seem so joyful, but… it's hard to explain… but you feel so hollow.'_ Hinata thought secretly while watching the loud blonde man next to her order a bowl for her.

Within no time, a large, steaming bowl of ramen was placed in front of the small brunette-haired woman. Naruto had already dug into his bowl again, not even bothering to hide his loud slurps and grunts. Hinata smiled to herself, seeing him act so like himself; yet she knew something was amiss. She watched as Naruto finished off his broth and let a soft burp erupt from his mouth.

"Another bowl, Old Man!" Naruto yelled with a smile.

Naruto looked over to Hinata and smiled at her sweetly, making her blush and turn away to begin eating her meal. This made Naruto laugh slightly at her actions, knowing the girl didn't do well in social situations… or at least situations he was involved with. He watched her eat her noodles from the corner of his eye and decided to begin the long talk he knew was coming.

"So… what's your first question?" he asked slyly, placing his chin in his palm.

Hinata looked up from her meal with a full mouth, noodles hanging out slightly in a similar fashion to what Naruto had done a few minutes prior. Naruto laughed at seeing her face so stuffed, which caused the young woman to blush even deeper, now noticing her horribly bad-mannered mistake. She turned away and swallowed her food roughly as she tried to calm the heat in her cheeks.

"W… w… why are you calling Sakura-San 'Neechan'?" Hinata asked quickly to try and push past her embarrassment.

Naruto blinked a few times at the question before laughing slightly.

"I didn't know we were going a few weeks before the accident, haha! Oh, well… I did tell you I would catch you up," Naruto said with a smile.

For the next hour and then some, Naruto talked about his newfound relationship status with Sakura and how they had been able to patch up their holes from what had happened in the war. He told her about how he was starting to get back into the swing of things, and how it all felt kind of foreign to him for some reason. He then went into the details of the mission and all that happened with his stay while in the Land of Rain. He spoke of how their friends showed support for him, knowing what they felt for him, and his battle to become his true self again. He went on and on about some girl named Molly, who had a similar mark to what Naruto had had before his accident. He talked of Ino, and the small moment he'd had with her in the rain. Even though he might not have seen it as romantic, Hinata on the other hand definitely did.

Naruto talked of the battle with the mysterious bandit, Haru, and her sister. He went on and on about the fight and how he'd lost his arm. All of this made Hinata feel hollow with sadness, knowing now how much it must have hurt Naruto to watch them take away poor little Molly. After Naruto had found a lull in conversation after talking of waking up yesterday in the hospital, Hinata decided to finally speak up. She watched Naruto play with his 12th bowl of ramen in front of him that was now cold.

"You're going to go after them, aren't you? You're going to try and get Molly back?" Hinata asked with no emotion in her voice, watching Naruto continue to play with the bowl of noodles in front of him. This question made Naruto look up with a confident glare upon his face, his fist tightening around the metal fork in his hand.

"You bet I am!" Naruto said sternly as the metal fork began to creek with Naruto's tightening grip. "As soon as I get my new arm, I'm out those front gates and hunting down any lead I can to find Molly! I won't rest until she's back home safe with her father!"

Hinata smiled and looked towards the counter top in front of her. A fire burned inside of her; she knew that Naruto's words always seemed to get her excited for anything.

"Very well, Naruto-Kun," Hinata said confidently, with no waver in her voice. "When you're all set, I want you to call me. I'll gladly help you on your redemption mission."

Naruto looked at Hinata with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth as he watched her stand from her seat and throw her bag over her shoulder.

"You… you will come help?" Naruto asked in disbelief.

Hinata smiled and moved her bangs so they were not falling in her face.

"Of course, Naruto-Kun… I'd do anything to see you happy," Hinata spoke softly but, surprisingly, with no blush.

Naruto smiled widely and jumped up, enveloping Hinata in a large, one-armed hug. The true meaning behind Hinata's words once again went right over his head, and he could only see it at face value.

"Oh, thank you, Hinata! You're so awesome! You don't know how much this means to me!" Naruto said enthusiastically as he let go of the poor, embarrassed Hinata.

"O… of course, Naruto-Kun," she mumbled out, trying to cover her pink cheeks with her hands. "But I must be going now; I told father I'd meet him at the Hokage tower at ten. If I don't leave now, I will most certainly be late!"

Naruto nodded in understanding and gave her a small, playful shove out of the stand.

"Well then, you better get going! Wouldn't want to hold you up," he said with a smile.

"Oh; Naruto-Kun… one last thing before I go," Hinata said softly as her tone dropped quite suddenly. "W… will you meet me on the red bridge that crosses the river next to training ground at nine tonight? T… there's something I need to talk to you about."

Naruto raised his brow and scratched his chin at the question.

"Tonight, you say? Hmm… I don't know, I'm pretty busy today… but what the hell! I'll swing bye since you're gonna be such an awesome friend and help me out with Molly! What time do you want to meet up?" Naruto asked cluelessly.

Hinata's face lit up at this and she was so excited that she couldn't even form words.

"H… h…how a… about eleven!? O-or is that too late!? We could always meet earlier! Or even later if you wa-" Hinata babbled out as she played with her hands shyly before Naruto laughed, interrupting her.

"HAHAHA! Eleven sounds great, Hinata! I'll see you then!" Naruto said with a thumbs up and glimmer in his dull blue eyes.

Hinata smiled even wider at this, and knew if she didn't leave right away, she would make a fool of herself in front of him.

"C… c… cool! See you then, Naruto-Kun, and thanks for breakfast!" Hinata said quickly. Before he could respond, she was off in a blur down the street, making Naruto smile.

'_That girl is something else, haha!' _he thought, watching her form disappear into the crowd of villagers in the distance.

"Hey… Naruto, my boy!" Mr. Ichiraku spoke up from behind Naruto, pulling him from his thoughts.

"What is it, Old Man?" Naruto asked nicely as he shot a smile.

"Uh… weren't… weren't you supposed to be at Yamanaka-San's house at nine sharp?" Teuchi asked with concern in his voice.

"Oh, yah, aha! I almost forgot! What about it?" he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Well… I hope you know it's 9:45… You're almost an hour late."

There was a long silence in the stand after that as Naruto just stood there with snow white skin and dull lifeless blank eyes. The information presented to him sank in like a bad flu, and made his stomach churn. Not long after… Naruto erupted.

"SON OF A BITCH! SHE'S GOING TO KILL ME!" Naruto hollered frightfully as he slammed a large amount of money onto the counter and turned on his heel. With a flash of orange and yellow, Naruto booked it out of the ramen stand and up to the rooftops above, screaming like a girl until his voice faded into the distance.

Teuchi watched with a sweat drop on the side of his head as Naruto's screaming died off.

"Sometimes… that boy makes me think of how he got so far in the first place," Teuchi said to himself with a sigh.

-Fifteen Minutes Later: Yamanaka Flower Shop-

"Shitshitshitshit!" Naruto repeated to himself as he jumped down from the rooftops above to land gracefully, directly in front of the Yamanaka flower shop.

Naruto wasted no time as he barged strait through the front glass door to the shop as the bells rang with his entrance. He looked around frantically for a brief instant before he realized that the store was empty at the moment. He let a large sigh escape his lips before he felt the judging blue eyes that were locked onto from behind the main counter. He looked up to see Ino watching him with a sly smirk and a knowing gaze.

"You know, I'd really pissed at you for being late, but lucky for you it's been a slow morning thus far," Ino said with a snicker. "So you can breathe easy, dumbass."

Naruto shot her a glare as he walked over to the counter top with a scowl. As he approached the counter, Ino threw a large, navy blue apron at Naruto, which he easily caught.

"What's this?" Naruto asked with a raised brow.

"You'll be in the back potting plants while I run the front. Mom's out at the hospital today, so you will be doing what she normally does," Ino said with a smile. "Think you can handle potting some plants there, Blondie?"

Naruto shot another playful glare as he held the apron out towards the sly woman.

"HA! That's easy work! I'll have it done before you know it! But, genius… how the hell am I supposed to tie this apron on with one arm?" Naruto asked with a cheeky grin.

Ino flinched and blushed massively as her mouth opened but only silence escaped her lips for a brief moment.

"I… j… just come over here and I'll tie it on for you!" Ino said loudly as her face turned an even deeper red.

Naruto obliged and walked over and let the small apron be tied to his waist, revealing it was about two sizes too small. Naruto glared at the fabric with a slight hatred for how womanly it made him look.

"Well… I guess I'll get started!" Naruto said with a forced grin and made his way towards the back room while looking back over his shoulder at Ino.

"Ya, you best, because you need to be done before we head off to the academy at five," Ino reminded him as she turned to her side to flick on the radio.

Naruto paused as he stood just in front of the doorway to the back room. He turned and looked over his shoulder with an interested look.

"You know… you never did tell me; what we are going to the academy for in the first place?" Naruto mentioned with a raised brow.

Ino turned away from the radio and gave him a look as if she was surprised he didn't know already.

"You do know that today is Graduation Day, right? The 127th class from the newly rebuilt academy start their team test tomorrow to see if they are fit to be Genin," Ino said, sounding half interested as she waved it off with a lazy hand. "A lot of Ninja are asked to come down and give speeches and lectures to the rookies to, like, inspire them, or something."

Naruto eyes widened as he finally remembered that today was indeed graduation day.

"Oh, that's right! How could I possibly forget something like that?" Naruto asked out loud as he face-palmed jokingly at his own bad memory.

"Ya, Iruka-Sensei asked if I would come down and give a short speech to the young'uns. Although, I'm not really the 'rally the troops' kind of girl, so I figured you could take my place in giving the speech!" Ino said with a cheeky grin and a playful wink.

This caused Naruto reel back slightly as he looked at Ino with wide eyes. He waved his arm in front of him enthusiastically.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What do you mean I'm giving a speech in your place!? I don't have anything prepared or have any clue of an idea of what I would say! I don't even know if I'm any good at giving speeches!" Naruto exclaimed as he shot a frantic look to the laid-back Ino.

Ino looked at Naruto with the most "you're joking, right?" look she could muster.

"You do realize that you have kind of an effect on people when you talk to them… right? Trust me on this one, Naruto-Kun… you'll be JUST fine," she said with another wave of her hand.

Naruto blushed and shot his eyes to the floor at this before returning to look at Ino, who was now leaning her lower back against the counter top with her arms folded over her chest.

"Ya well… whatever! Won't Iruka-Sensei be pissed that you aren't the one doing the speech!?" Naruto pleaded as he shot a finger towards her face.

"Ha, as if! Once he finds out you are giving the speech he will be ecstatic, and you know it! Besides… kids love you, and you've got quite a reputation as the 'Hero of the Five Nations,' oh 'Great Blazing Angel of Konoha'," Ino shot back using her fingers as air quotes making Naruto sigh with defeat, knowing there was no arguing with this girl.

Naruto turned and took a few steps into the back room before turning to look over his shoulder and make a final response before the front entrance bells chimed, signifying a customer. Ino happily greeted them with a cheery wave. Naruto huffed and decided to drop it for now and go do the chores Ino had for him. As he picked up some pots and potting soil, Naruto sat himself at the stool Ino had occupied yesterday when he came to visit. Within no time, he was quickly distributing plant and soil into their new, proper containers. Even so, his head ran wild with other thoughts.

'_Ugh! Dammit, Ino! What in the holy mother of gods am I going to say to the new rookies!? I don't even know if I'm supposed to talk about a certain topic, or just talk about my own personal experiences! UGGHHH!' _Naruto thought bitterly.

"(Sigh…)"

'_This is going to end up being super embarrassing…' _

Naruto continued to work over in his head what he could possibly say or do when he went on stage at the academy, if there was even a stage. He mumbled to himself with frustration for the next few hours, hardly even noticing the time pass by. He patted at his now slightly dirty apron and stood from his wooden stool with a look of satisfaction on his face. Around one hundred newly potted plants laid on the table and floor around him, showing that he had finished the task with flying colors.

'_Easy work!' _Naruto thought with a smile.

With a quick pull, he released the apron from his waist and threw it onto the counter top in front of him. With a quick check of his shirt and pants to make sure he was clean enough to be presentable out in the store, Naruto walked out of the back room. Ino still sat behind the counter with a lazy demeanor, flicking casually through a magazine while the radio next to her softly plaid some pop song he didn't recognize. He grunted in slight agitation that while he was working she was sitting on her ass being a bum.

"Shikamaru rubbing off on you? Or do you always just sit around while a friend's doing you a favor, working his ass off in the back while you lollygag? That's pretty rude, if you ask me!" Naruto stated aggressively with a raised brow.

Ino didn't even flinch as she continued to hum to herself while licking her finger and flipping to another page of the large, glossy magazine. Naruto's eye twitched at how she had just blown him off without a care in the world. He balled his fists and took a deep breath to start a yelling spree at the back of the unappreciative woman in front of him before Ino turned slightly to look over her shoulder with a laid back half eye look.

"You finish all the pots?" she asked lazily.

Naruto blinked a few times, feeling offended by her words for some reason.

"Of course I did!" Naruto responded with a snarl. "What do you take me for? An idiot!?"

"Good, but you do remember that you agreed to do this for blowing me off at launch a couple weeks back, right? So how am I being rude to you if you said you'd make it up to me?" Ino asked lazily as she blinked slowly at the still put-out Naruto.

Naruto's face grew red with agitation and an even bigger twitch while his fist still held at his side, balled aggressively.

"Ya! But, I figured you would at least spend some time with me while I helped you out! You have any idea how boring it was back there!?" Naruto said while throwing a thumb back over his shoulder to the room.

Ino slightly blushed at this, but did a well enough job hiding it from Naruto. She scoffed, recovering from her slight fluffy moment with a flick of her wrist to move her hair over her shoulder.

"Awhhh… did wittle baby Nawuto need Ino-Chan to come and keep an eye on him so he wouldn't feewl so wonwy?" she mocked with a hint of laughter.

Naruto stood silent for a moment with an embarrassed blush before throwing up the bird with a dark glare.

"Bite me," Naruto said blankly before turning on his heel and storming off back into the room he had previously occupied, breaking from Ino's line of sight.

"And where do you think you're going?" Ino asked in a sweet tone, knowing she had just pushed his buttons.

"I don't know!" Naruto called from the back room. "I just know if I continue to talk to you for a single moment longer, I will be thrown in prison for fucking MURDER!"

Ino stifled a laugh and rolled her eyes playfully even though he couldn't see it.

"Awh, don't be that way, Naruto-Kun! If you stay in there all day, you won't be able to enjoy the gift I got you for helping me out today!" Ino yelled back, and just as she'd predicted, she heard footsteps heading back towards the door.

Naruto inched his way around the corner of the door frame so only the right side of his face was visible. His eyes still held a slight glare to them that Ino couldn't help but find cute on his foxy face.

"Present?" Naruto asked quietly with a narrowed eye, almost refusing to believe Ino would do something nice for him.

"Emhmm," she retorted slyly, pointing playfully to a small white box the size of a cell phone that was underneath the counter she sat at.

Naruto moved his head further around the corner of the door frame so his whole face was visible this time. His eyes softening slightly just a bit.

"You're bluffing," he replied with a reserved and cautious demeanor.

Ino scooted the small white box across the floor towards Naruto with her foot so it lay just slightly out of reach from where Naruto stood behind the door frame. He glanced down at it quickly before returning to glare questioningly at Ino.

"It's not going to open itself, you know!" Ino said, actually becoming slightly aggravated by Naruto's sudden distrust of her.

Naruto finally decided to walk around the corner and pick up the small parcel. With a gentle touch, he lifted the box into his hand and weighed it with a slight bounce in his palm. With a raised brow and lifted lower lip, he flicked the lid off with his thumb, letting it fall to the floor. He stared at the contents for a few seconds silently before his brow raised highly.

"W… what!? D-do you not like it or something!?" Ino asked with a stutter, her face burning. Even though she was able to play it off at first, she actually was quite shy about giving him the gift.

Naruto walked over to the counter Ino sat at and placed the small box down so he could pick up the object with his one hand. As he carefully lifted his gift into the air to see it better in the light, Ino turned her head to the side with an even larger blush brushing her cheeks. Naruto glanced away from the parcel in his hands to the uncomfortable Ino, who looked out into the shop to prevent awkward eye contact between herself and Naruto.

"A locket?" Naruto asked curiously as he moved the necklace in his hands, rubbing his thumb gently over the small oval locket that hung from the silver chain.

"Open it, dumbass," Ino said calmly, still refusing to look at Naruto.

Naruto obliged her demands and flicked the silver pendant open that was roughly the size of a quarter with his thumb, allowing the dual picture frame that laid inside to come into view in the ambient lights above. Naruto eyes grew wide and his throat became thick with emotion. He was at a loss for words as he looked from the two pictures to Ino who was now looking from the corner of her eye at him.

"What… H… how…" Naruto sputtered out, unable to form a sentence.

"Apparently, your mom Kushina gave it to my mom many years ago as an act of friendship. She kept it all this time as a remembrance of her after she passed away during the Fox Rampage 18 years ago. I was looking through one of my mom's jewelry boxes a couple days ago and I happened to stumble upon it. When I asked her about it, she told me what I just told you and then she said I should give it to you, saying that even though she loved it…. You would appreciate it many times greater than she ever could," Ino said sweetly, watching Naruto switch from one small picture to the other.

"This picture is of my mom and dad on their wedding day!" Naruto said in a choked up voice as he rubbed his thumb slowly over the picture to move the dust away before looking at the second picture in the locket. "And this one… this is…"

"That's an ultrasound picture of you still in your mom's womb," Ino said with a smile, finishing his sentence seeing how he was struggling to talk.

Naruto could feel his shoulders tremble as he leaned back and let his body fall against the wall behind him for support. His hand shook slightly, not knowing that these pictures had even existed until now. Ino watched with soft eyes letting Naruto take in the pictures and locket.

"Knowing how they passed away on the day of your birth… my mom says that locket in your hands holds the only remaining pictures of the Namikaze family together," Ino informed softly as she stood from her stool and made her way slowly to the trembling man in front of her.

Naruto eyes were shadowed by his bangs and his chest shook with ragged breaths of held back tears.

Ino placed her hand softly upon his shoulder and couldn't help but smile for some reason. She leaned in slightly so she was within whispering distance and just stood in front of him for a moment, just listening to the quiet tears he let fall next to her feet. She looked down to the locket he held in his hand next to his chest, his hand trembling slightly, making the chain sway.

"You do it for them, don't you?" she asked in a soft voice, watching has hand still tremble and a small droplet fall upon his open palm next to the locket. "You get up every day for them, huh?"

Ino reached forward and clasped her hands around Naruto's trembling one and helped close his grip around the necklace. The silence in the room was comforting in a way, letting the emotions Naruto held bleed out slightly without resilience.

"I get up… I get up every day for me…. and all of the people who for some reason rely on me," Naruto whispered out with his eyes still downcast, away from Ino's sight. "But… I only have the strength to do so… because I know I have Mom and Dad watching over me… cheering me on.

Ino stood silent, listening to him speak so softly, his voice felt forced. His hand had stopped trembling in her own and his grip on the locket tightened ever so slightly as he spoke.

"They're my heroes…" Naruto finished as he finally lifted his head back into the light of the store and reveled his blue glistening eyes. Ino looked back politely with a calm and understanding look upon her. Naruto looked back for a moment before smiling sweetly.

"Thank you, Ino."

Ino blushed at how intensely he was looking at her, and yet she couldn't help but feel welcomed by it. It was amazing how his eyes could convey so much emotion that they spoke not only for Naruto's sake…but for her own as well.

"It was just something I found in a small jewelry box, Naruto-Kun… so don't worry abo-"

"No… I'm very thankful you gave me this… but I wasn't saying thank you for the locket," Naruto interrupted, making Ino raise a brow. She patiently waited for him to explain.

"I'm saying thank you for… well, I guess… being my wall these last couple of weeks," Naruto said softly, earning a bewildered red face from Ino as she stuttered for words to say, but could never find the right ones.

"I hate crying," Naruto suddenly and quite randomly chimed in, once again breaking Ino from her stammering episode. "I always cried when I was a child because I hated the world for treating me so poorly. I cried constantly… but as I grew older, I found it harder and harder to cry. I became numb to the pain… bottling it up to a point that not even I truly understood how I felt any more. I learned to accept my pain before the war in a training field by some big waterfall Bee showed me. Although I had come to terms with it and I began to understand that part of me… it never truly went away."

Ino still stood firmly in her spot, watching and listening to Naruto's small story, knowing there was a point for him telling her all of this.

"What I guess I'm trying to say is… all my life, I've been able to bottle my tears and feelings without any trouble," he stammered out while rubbing his thumb slowly over the locket, making Ino pull her hands away. "Yet… whenever I'm around you, it's not like that in the slightest. I mean, here I am in the middle of your damn store, crying my eyes out like a newborn baby for gods-know-who to come in and see, with you standing right in front of me."

"You know… sometimes it's good to cry, Naruto-Kun. It means that you're healing… and also that you're growing," she said with a smile, which Naruto returned quickly.

"Hmm… Yah, but I still don't like it…" Naruto said dryly, but firmly as well. "I feel weak… maybe even helpless. But with you, it's not like that. I feel like I don't need to hold back or hide anything when I'm with you… and I don't know why… I have never been like this with anyone before."

Ino felt her heart jump, trying to understand what he meant by that. She could feel her body grow warm and her lips grow dry. She wanted to punch herself for being so weak and girly around him, but she would never admit how much she craved the sensation.

"W… what do you mean by that, Naruto-Kun?" she asked with a gulp.

"I don't know… but I feel comfortable around you, Ino, and you make the hard things… easy, I guess. So, like I said before… Thank you for being here for me lately, Ino!" he finished while pulling her into a large, one-armed hug. Before she could return the gesture, he had already unhooked his grip and took and step back away from her. She blushed childishly with notice.

"Hey! Could you put this on for me, Ino!?" Naruto asked enthusiastically, holding his new necklace out in front of her face.

Ino sighed relaxingly and took the swaying chain from his hand, stepping close for a better reach and the taller man's neck. Their chests were slightly touching, making Ino blush for obvious reasons, but still holding a sweet smile.

'_I'll never get used to how easily his mood can change,' _she thought with a giggle, clicking the small lock shut so it would stay fastened to Naruto's neck.

The pendent hung loosely upon Naruto's chest, and the silver chain looked good on him. Ino quickly stepped back after finished her task to give him room, but taking a mental note at how much she loved the smell of whatever cologne he was wearing.

'_Surprisingly…he doesn't smell like Ramen!' _She thought cheekily, watching Naruto stare happily down at the pendant just below his collar bone.

She smiled and watched him bounce it in his palm and flick the pendent open to look at the pictures once again. His face lighting up as his eyes danced over the small shiny pictures. Not long after, the shop bell chimed behind her, bringing her back to work. Letting the now joyful Naruto look at his locket without interruption… she could handle the last two hours of work.

"You ready to go?" Ino asked, flipping the "Open" sign over to "Closed" and turning off the electronic "Welcome" light.

"Yep! Naruto called with a slight muffle through the walls of the back room of the shop but quickly walking to the front, throwing off his apron once again onto the front counter as he passed. Ino opened and held the door open as he stepped out into the late-evening cast village. With a flick of the lights casting the shop into slight darkness, Ino closed the front glass door behind her, locking it with her key. With a turn of her heel, she turned towards the smiling Naruto, who'd held a glow around him ever since she'd put the locket on him. She threw her shop key into the black purse she had put on over left shoulder.

She was able to go to her room and get dressed up, having Naruto to watch the shop while she made herself presentable at such an important event. She threw on a small, form-fitting purple top that had no markings or designs on it. She also threw on a pair of nice white dress pants that formed to her curves perfectly. The pants cut off at the middle of her calves, making her able to flaunt the new knee-high black boots she had picked up a couple a days ago. There was a slight wedge in the heel that gave a little added height to her small frame. The outfit was absolutely what one would expect out of the fashionable Yamanaka.

"Come on; let's go before we end up being late," Ino said calmly, beginning to walk down the dirt and stone path with a still slightly jolly Naruto beside her.

After walking their way through the village at a casual pace, they found themselves at the new and beautifully rebuilt academy. Walking through the large metal front gates they made their way to the auditorium which was a side building standing just off to the side of the regular school.

The auditorium building was a large, square, white building with a rounded, dome roof. There were no windows except for on the front, as custom with most large stage rooms. There were two large wooden doors that were swung open as to allow the parents and guest to file in and find their places inside. There was a large banner above the two doors that read "CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS CLASS 127," making it hard to feel they were in the wrong place. In front of the doors was a small white table stacked with papers, where a small teenage girl, looking to be about 17, sat with a smile plastered on her face.

"Hello, Yamanaka Ino checking in!" Ino said enthusiastically with a wave once they had approached the small table, making the young woman look up from her scribbles.

"AH! Yamanaka-Sama, you're right on time!" the hostess said with a smile. "I'm very happy you agreed to be a guest speaker for us tonight!"

"Oh! I'm so sorry; I almost forgot! My guest, Naruto, who I'm sure you know - I mean, _who doesn't _-will be taking my place as a guest speaker for this evening. I hope that it's not too much trouble!" Ino said happily, pulling Naruto closer beside her to emphasize who she was talking about.

The young woman behind the counter turned to Naruto and began to blush immensely when accidently making eye contact with him.

"O... o… of course that's okay! H… h… happy to see you will be joining us tonight, N… N… Naruto-San!" The young woman stammered out, earning a raised brow from Ino. "I will a… a… add your name to the list in p… p… place of Yamanaka-Sama!"

Naruto gave a soft smile to the young lady, making her melt even more into her seat.

"Thank you! I'll do my best, and I'm sorry I'm not very formally dressed," Naruto replied in a cheery tone.

"T… t… that's quite alright N… N… Naruto-San! You look very h... h… handsome. Also I'm very s… s… sorry about your arm!" the young woman replied still unable to compose her stutters.

Naruto waved his arm slightly in embarrassment as he laughed with a blush at the compliment.

"Well thank you… Minori!" he said, now reading the name tag on her chest. "And don't worry about it! I'll have it fixed here soon!"

The young woman, now known as Minori, gave a sweet lovey-dovey smile that Naruto returned with an oblivious foxy one.

After watching what had just happened and knowing exactly why the young woman was acting in such a way, Ino felt a fiery urge to punch the bitch five nations over. Yet Ino was able to keep herself from making a very bloody and violent scene. Turning quickly and grabbing Naruto's arm, she pulled him away quickly before that slut tried to make a move on him.

"COME ON, NARUTO! WE NEED TO FIND OUR SEATS, NOW!" Ino yelled heatedly, now dragging him through the doors and into the long hall that led to the auditorium.

"Wait, what? What are you talking about, it's open sea- OUCH, OUCH, OUCH! STOP PULLING MY EAR!" Naruto yelled out.

Ino marched for a couple more yards before she finally calmed herself enough to let go of the still-dragging Naruto. Stopping as she did so, she tried her best to ignore the questioning looks passersby were giving her and waited for the earful she knew was coming.

"What the fuck was that!?" Naruto yelled in anger, rubbing his throbbing earlobe with his hand. "That was super rude, and then you go and practically rip my ear from my head! What's your deal!?"

"Problem? I have no problem, Naruto-Kun. I just can't stand people who stutter even worse than Hinata-San," Ino lied cheekily with a smirk on her face.

Naruto sighed at this and let his hand fall back to his side now that his ear had stop throbbing.

"It's funny that you say that, though. All of a sudden, all of the girls I talk to besides my friends, excluding Hinata, all seem to have a case of the stutters!" Naruto said while scratching his chin, pondering.

Ino narrowed her eyes sharply at those words and crossed her arms, leaning on one leg and popping out her hip to the side. She finished her pose with a raised brow, showing off her princess attitude.

"Huh?" she asked in a "you better not be saying what I think you're saying!" tone.

Naruto, not catching the hint or even understand what he was saying himself, blindly walked into more physical pain.

"YA! Like ever since I came out of my apartment, girls around the village have been all weird around me! Giving me weird looks and even just randomly giving me gifts! The worst of it is the stuttering, though! It's like I scare them or something, haha!" Naruto said dumbly, earning a hard punch across the head from guess who.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH! WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?" Naruto asked while rubbing his head vigorously.

"You're a complete dumbass, that's why!" Ino said heatedly before turning and stomping off into the auditorium, leaving the confused and dumbfounded Naruto behind.

"_Great! Just fucking great! Why is it that all the men I want have a fucking posse after them?!' _Ino thought bitterly as she stormed away with her fists balled and shoulders arched.

Naruto, finally able to calm the pain in his cranium, rolled his eyes threw his hand in his pocket and followed the trail his blonde friend had just stormed down. He needed to apologize for whatever the hell he did, even if he had absolutely no freaking idea what that was.

Fifteen minutes later, Naruto sat in a standard classroom chair seated off to the side away from the other chairs in the small row, all marked with cards that said "Speakers." The row of about fifteen chairs was against the side wall of the auditorium, facing the large area with row after row of chairs seated in front of the large stage. Ino had chosen a seat in the medium in the "Guests and Family" section that was a couple rows behind the graduating students' seats directly in front of the stage.

Naruto was currently the only one seated at the speakers section and occupied his time with watching parents and guests wander into the large room and find seats. He spotted Sakura walking in, which slightly surprised him. She locked gazes with him from across the room and gave him a happy wave before spotting Ino and grabbing the chair next to her. He saw as even more people he knew made an appearance, such as Shikamaru and Choji, as well as Sai and Hinata, who came in with her father and sister. Lee walked in pushing Gai's wheelchair, with a smiling TenTen and Kakashi walking slightly behind. Kiba and Shino walked in a little later, as well. At this point, the room was quite full, so even though Naruto had seen his friends make an entrance, he doubted that they had seen him in the now filling up speaker section off to the side.

The room was now buzzing with soft murmurs as people talked amongst themselves. The student section located towards the front was now completely filled and it was easy to see that there were about two hundred kids graduating. Although… only about a fourth would actually make it past the team trials taking place in the next few days. Naruto sat, quietly scanning over the large amount of people who he guessed to number around six hundred. He never got to attend his graduation day, being that he was still on watch after the whole stealing the Sacred Scroll incident. He cursed himself slightly for doing something as stupid as that and missing out on such a sacred day until a familiar voice he hadn't heard in quite a while chimed from the chair directly to his left.

"It really is you! How are you, Big Bro!?" the owner of the voice greeted Naruto happily with a large smile plastered on his face.

Naruto turned with a slightly shocked look, not expecting such a loud greeting out of nowhere. After a moment of staring at the young man seated next to him, Naruto let a large warm smile grace his face at recognizing the spiky brunet boy.

"Konohamaru!" Naruto said excitedly. "What are you doing here? Especially at the speakers section.

Konohamaru was in a very nice black collared shirt with what seemed to be a white undershirt. He had the shirt tucked into blue casual jeans, with a black belt tied at his waist. He wore some casual black dress shoes that worked well with his outfit. His blue Konoha headband was tied around his neck in place of his usual scarf.

"I'm here because I'm a grandson of one of the Hokages, so I usually get invited to come down and give a small speech to the new rookies! But the real question is, what you are doing here!? I mean, I've heard the rumors of how you got reinstated and out of your house… but I see that the other rumors regarding your arm are also true. Should you really be doing something like this right now? You looked pretty banged up, Bro, and I can see it's not just your arm!" he finished with a twinge of sadness in his voice.

Naruto put his hand on Konohamaru's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"I'll be fine bud. Ignore the bags under my eyes; I just didn't get any sleep last night. As for the arm, Sakura-Neechan is gonna make me a new one with some medical magic! So please, don't worry… just enjoy the evening's events," Naruto said sweetly, pulling his arm back to his lap.

Konohamaru looked at Naruto with unchanged eyes before relaxing and shooting back a smile.

"So you're a speaker too, Big Bro? Did you write yours on note cards, or did you memorize it? I spent all last night rehearsing and going over and over it in my head, haha!" Konohamaru said with a hand scratching the back of his head.

Naruto blushed and groaned at the questions. Rubbing his temples with his fingers, he sighed roughly.

"I didn't even know I was giving a speech until about six hours ago," Naruto said bitterly, still rubbing his temples. "I've thought about what I would say all day, but I don't have any clue as of right now."

"Wait… so you're just gonna go up there and wing the whole thing!?" Konohamaru asked with shock.

Naruto nodded and sighed again, tilting his head upwards to look at the large dome roof above.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Good luck with that, Big Bro! I hope you don't crash and burn… or do I!?" Konohamaru mocked, laughing loudly.

Naruto shot daggers from the corner of his eye before the lights above dimmed and the lights for the stage lit up brightly, revealing the Hokage herself, as well as Iruka–Sensei standing next to her. The crowed hushed into silence, everyone waiting for Tsunade to speak.

"Welcome friends and family alike to the 177th Graduation Ceremony for the new generation of shinobi that will be given the chance to join the Konoha Military! I thank you all for coming out and greeting these new shinobi with pride and open arms!" Tsunade said with great confidence as the crowd listened intently.

Naruto sat comfortably in his chair listening to Baa-Chan's introduction. He smiled as she spoke before a small vibration in his pants pocket broke his attention.

'_Hmm?' _He thought as he lifted his phone out of his pocket and slid his thumb across the glass screen.

He raised his brow slightly seeing that he had a new text message. Opening the app and reading the message, Naruto smiled slightly.

**\- Sakura Haruno -**

**Hey! Ino just told me you will speaking tonight! That's awesome! I can't wait to hear it! See you after the ceremony! Don't mess up, idiot! Lol :) **

'_Ya, well, I'm sure you wouldn't be so excited if you knew I had nothing planned,' _Naruto thought with a sour chuckle.

Naruto was just about to press the power button to shut off his phone before another small vibration caught his attention. Seeing he had another message, he opened the application.

**\- Ino Yamanaka -**

**Nervous? ;p **

Naruto sighed slightly and relaxed into his chair at the question. His attention completely taken away from the stage where Iruka was now talking in place of Tsunade. Texting was something he could do for the time being to calm his nerves and clear his head… at least that's what he thought.

**\- N.U. -**

**You have no idea! But I wouldn't be nervous if someone hadn't dropped this on me a couple hours ago! – (SEND)**

**. . . (Vibrate)**

**-Ino Yamanaka-**

**You've given tons of speeches before Naruto-Kun -_- … Like you even gave that heroic and blah blah blah speech to that Obito guy in the war for him to stop fighting…. AND HE FUCKING DID! So trust me dumbass….you're actually quite good at this. :) **

Naruto smiled at that.

**-N.U.-**

**Ya, but I wasn't just talking. I was speaking with emotion and trying to get across a message. :/ - (SEND)**

**. . . (Vibrate)**

**-Ino Yamanaka-**

**Well then just do that ;) but hey ill ttyl after the ceremony! Looks like the first speaker is about to start! ByeBye 3**

Sure enough, after reading Ino's message, Naruto looked up to see a man he didn't recognize making his way to the stage. Naruto slouched and grumbled slightly.

'_And here we go…'_

Ino and Sakura sat quietly as they listened to the first speaker talk of the future and all of the great things that laid ahead for the graduates. Sakura faded in and out from listening as she couldn't help but shake this nagging question that was now at the front of her mind. Leaning over so she was right next to Ino's ear, making Ino look at her from the corner of her eye.

"Psst… Ino, I have a question," Sakura whispered, making Ino raised her brow. "Didn't you have this super long speech you had been working really hard on? Why did you decide at the last minute to hand it over to Naruto?"

Ino looked back to the stage as she thought of the question. All the while, Sakura was still leaned in, waiting for her response. Ino turned after a moment and smiled.

"Naruto never really knows how to handle his emotions unless he vents somehow, whether it be fighting or training… I figured this could be a great way for him to vent in some way, I guess."

Sakura blinked slowly, pondering Ino's answer.

"Are you sure, though? Does he even have anything prepared?"

"Nope," Ino responded with a smirk.

"Well then-"

"Just wait and watch, Sakura…" Ino interrupted and sent a slight wink out of the corner of her eye. "I have a feeling Naruto's speech is going to be the best of the evening."

Sakura pulled away and looked out over the crowed to see Naruto smiling and listening intensively to the man on the stage.

'_I wouldn't take that bet, Ino,'_ Sakura thought with a smile.

Time seemed to fly by to Naruto. Speaker after speaker got up and made their talks and gave their advice. Most were even very moving and emotionally grabbing, making some of the parents get teary eyed. Speeches of being great and speeches of doing your best was the common theme, it seemed. Honestly, it was quite the little pep rally. All of the speeches talked about the greatness that lay in the world and how amazing the graduates' lives would become if they put forth the effort. Naruto listened and enjoyed every second of every speaker's words… yet at the same time, feeling there was a certain topic that had yet to be covered.

Unbeknownst to Naruto, two hours and came and went, and he was the only one left sitting in the speakers' section. Konohamaru was now on stage, giving this actually quite heartwarming speech of the memories and friends he had made since graduation. Telling of how the new rookies would also do the same and build bonds with other ninja, creating an alliance that couldn't be broken or defeated. Naruto wasn't afraid to admit he was impressed with Konohamaru's words. He was quite the little motivational speaker.

"Thank you all for your time, and have a wonderful evening!" Konohamaru finished, earning a loud eruption of applause from the crowd.

Konohamaru walked off stage and off to a separate seating section where all of the other speakers now sat. Naruto smiled and looked his left to see who would be next to speak but saw only a row of empty chairs; if he was the only one in the row, that meant only one thing.

'Oh…. Fuck.'

"Thank you, Konohamaru; that was wonderful!" Iruka-Sensei said from the stage in front of the microphone. "Now, for our last speaker, we have had a sudden change… although, I'm sure no one will have complaints! Now, I'm sure he needs no introduction, so would you all please welcome Naruto Uzumaki!"

The crowd immediately erupted into applause and some even yelled out his name, who he figured to be his friends. With a large dry gulp, Naruto rose from his chair and made his way from the side of the room towards the stage. As he walked, he thought about the speeches given so far this evening and he still couldn't help but notice there was something missing. Thus, right there, before reaching the steps to go up on stage, Naruto made his decision on his topic of speech. He knew he could do it… after all, he was going through the very same thing in his life right now.

Once making it on stage, Naruto shook Iruka's hand firmly, earning a large smile from the man before he once again made his way off stage. Naruto gripped the microphone just handed to him tightly as he turned and looked out over the dark crowd.

The clapping had stopped and there was now nothing but silence. Everyone was waiting for Naruto to begin. He did a quick glance out over the crowd to see if he could see anyone he might recognize, but alas, it was too dark to make out anyone. Naruto looked down to his feet briefly and took a deep long drawn out breath before beginning.

"As custom, I would like to thank all of the parents, friends, and even supportive watchers who came tonight to support such an amazing step in these young men and women's lives. I would also like to thank the speakers before me for speaking true words of wisdom, and also keeping it interesting as to not put us all to sleep." Naruto smiled at his own words and even got a laugh from the crowd.

"You know… if I told you all I had zero idea what I was going to talk about until just about two minutes ago, you probably wouldn't believe me, but in actuality that's exactly what just happened." Naruto paused for a slight moment before continuing.

"You see, I didn't have a topic chosen, or even know of what I was going to say because I really wanted to know what the other speakers were going to talk about. So, quite literally, these last two or however many hours I've sat in that chair over there against the wall and listened to what everyone had to say." He gestured with his arm over to the chair he had previously occupied.

"And quite honestly and respectfully, the speeches given tonight were some of the greatest words of wisdom I've ever had the pleasure and honor of hearing." Naruto glanced over and gave a slight smile to the speakers sitting of to the side before turning back to the crowd. "There was not a single piece of advice tonight I feel was wrong."

"But with that being said… I do feel there has been a topic that has yet to be touched upon tonight. I also realize why that is… You see, the theme so far with every speech is how to be successful with life… and with everything one will encounter once becoming a ninja, or even just an adult. Yes, success is what everyone wants to achieve. It drives us… helps us get up in the morning… keeps our dreams within reach." Naruto paused once again as he could now see the crowd was becoming more and more interested in his words.

"Yes… success is everything we want… But what happens… when we fail? When we lose? What happens when things don't go your way, or as planned… what happens then? Do you keep moving forward? Or do you let it consume you?"

Naruto lowered the mike just slightly as a hush rang out through the room. Naruto closed his eyes and took another breath to calm himself. He knew what he wanted to get across… but he really didn't know how to word it.

"You see, success can be accomplished by being… heroic, or brave, or undoubtedly with hard work, but you want to know the funny thing about success is? It's not a straight shot. Success does not come by being perfect… it comes from failure. Now… that might sound like the strangest thing you've ever heard, and I understand. Allow me to explain my madness, if you will." He got a small laugh again.

"Since we are born, we are a certain way and act a certain way to the people around us, and especially to ourselves. We have an unchangeable mindset of the world around us that can't be moved. Especially when you are being successful, whether its passing a test or going to work and getting a paycheck, or going on a mission and keeping the people you care about alive. You feel the way you are is perfect, because nothing has gone wrong. Yet one day… it will.

"You fail that test you were studying for. You lose your job and can no longer put food on the table for your little girl. You're on a mission… and things go sideways… and when the smoke settles… you have to go home and tell a family their little boy or girl, brother or sister, husband or wife… isn't coming home. You failed… you failed… You… Failed. It echoes in your mind like a bad disease, and turns your world cold. Failure… changes how you look not only at the world around you, but at yourself.

"You change… you don't know If you can do it anymore. You don't know if it's worth it. You see, you have two choices once you fail. You can sit around and cry and whimper…or, as explained to me by a good friend of mine… you can get off your ass… you can wipe your eyes… and keep going. Success does not define who you become… failure does. You find out who you really are in adversity.

"If you do something and you fail, you will most likely get down on yourself. That's okay… it's okay to be upset… but be sure once you're done, you get back on your feet as fast as you can! Keep going… even if you fail again, and again, and again, and again. Because once you are successful…. once you have walked the path of failure… you will see at the finish line, success. You aren't the same person that you were at the beginning. You thought at the beginning you were perfect and you would just coast to success. Yet now, standing at the end, scratched and battered, bruised and bloody… you look back at the lonely and dark path of failure and you will realize… you realize… all the failure made you successful…. failure shaped you, and helped you grow.

"You see, success is an afterthought… once you have found who you REALLY are… in failure. I have failed so many times in my life, I can't even tell of all of them. It took me 3 tries to graduate the academy. My best friend left home and abandoned everything I thought he cared for. I let a war break out that I should have been able to easily stop. I let friends die and let families grieve over something that should have never happened. Failure is who I am.

"But don't be afraid to fail… Embrace it. Even after all that I have done, even after everything I feel I did to be successful, I'm sure you can all see that my right arm is gone. Not only because I wasn't strong enough physically… but also mentally. I only know this now because I failed. So now… knowing this, I can build myself to be even stronger… and wiser.

"Rookies… Parents… Fellow Shinobi… Everyone tonight has encouraged you to go fourth and be successful. I… encourage you to fail. I encourage you… to try and let life beat you to your knees. And once you're down and trying to fight yourself back to your feet… let failure whisper in your ear… 'Do you give up?' And always stand and respond… 'No.'"

"Thank you."

Naruto lowered the mike away from his face and for a moment, there was no movement among the crowd. He placed the microphone on its stand and turned to walk off until a slow clap built in the crowd. People rose from their chairs and clapped even louder. Naruto did not stop his trek though. He made his way down the stairs and to the open chair next to Konohamaru, who currently had a look of awe plastered on his face. Taking his seat, Naruto looked up and into the crowd who were still clapping loudly and spotted a blond haired woman smiling widely at him and through the crowd he was just able to make out her mouthing the mocking words.

"I told you so."

The rest of the ceremony went by with a flash, and not long after his speech, Naruto stood outside with the now night sky above, waiting for his friends to make it through the slow-moving crowd. His back was against the wall next to the main doors and he had his hand in his pocket. He looked up at the stars that were beginning to emerge in the beautiful dark sky and he couldn't help but smile. Lee, TenTen, and Gai all made a scene at how good it was to see him after so long and how great his speech was. Lee roared about how youthful it was and how he would be sure to do a thousand pushups but fail as to honor his words.

'_That's not really what I meant, Lee, haha!'_

After Lee and the others left for home, Kiba and Shino were the next to come up and give him a greeting. Kiba spoke of going out for a guys' night to welcome Naruto back, which Shino actually agreed to. Naruto smiled and laughed and said to shoot him a text and they said that they definitely would. Kiba gave a wave and they were off.

Next were Kakashi and Konohamaru, both just giving a quick hand shake and heading off on their way. Shikamaru and Choji gave a wave and a quick shout about how good the speech was, but were off just as quick as they came. Soon, Naruto was looking back towards the night sky before two small figures approached just to the side of him, just stepping out the front main doors of the auditorium.

"Told you," Ino said with a smirk as Naruto looked down from the sky to return the smile.

"Honestly, Naruto, those were probably the deepest words I've ever heard come from your mouth before! Is this really you, or just some kind of Genjutsu? Hehe!" Sakura joked while placing a hand over her mouth as she laughed.

"Oh, ha, ha, ha, guys," Naruto said with a roll of his eyes. "But thanks."

He smiled, pushing himself off of the wall.

"Well, Ino, Naruto; I will talk to you guys later. I'm pretty tired, so I'm heading home," Sakura said with a wave and smile as she turned to walk away.

"Okay, Bye, Sakura-Neechan!"

"Bye, Billboard Brow!"

Sakura threw one last wink over her shoulder towards Ino before whispering just loud enough for Ino to hear.

"Play nice, you two."

Sakura walked away while a blushing Ino silently cursed her name with a balled fist.

"H-hey Naruto-Kun, Ino-San." A quiet voice spoke up from behind the two blondes, making them turn.

"Oh, hey, Hinata! What's up?" Ino asked with a smile and wave.

"Well…" Hinata murmured out before turning to Naruto quickly. "N-Naruto-Kun… do you feel we could actually meet up now? I know it's earlier then I asked for, but we could walk together to the bridge… if that's okay with y-you I mean?"

Ino slightly flinched and turned her head to look at Naruto with confused eyes.

"Oh… Ya, sure, Hinata that's cool! It's just… uh," Naruto said with a smile before turning to Ino. "Ino, do you think you could walk yourself home? I hate to be rude..."

Ino raised her brow and glanced between Naruto and the blushing Hinata standing in front of him, who was giving her a pleading look. She really wanted to tell her to take a hike but the look Hinata was sending could melt a frozen heart.

"Ugh… Ya, that's cool," Ino said while turning her head away with agitation. "I'll shoot you a text later, or something."

"Awesome! Thank you, Ino! I'll see you later!" Naruto said giving the blond a big hug making Ino let a slight eep brush from her lips.

With a quick turn after setting Ino back onto the ground where she currently stood with a tomato face, Naruto walked off with a jittery Hinata at his side.

'_What's got her all jazzed?_' Ino thought with a scowl. _"And where the hell are they going anyway… something about a bridge?' _

Ino watched the couple turn and make their way around the front gate of the academy, now out of sight. Ino turned and made her way in the opposite direction towards home.

'_Whatever, it's none of my business,' _was what she originally thought before she found herself now walking the same direction Naruto and Hinata were heading, only just out of sight.

'_Although… I better make sure Hinata doesn't… try anything. I mean I'm not STALKING! I'm just….. Oh, fuck it! I just don't like the idea of her being alone with him!' _Ino thought bitterly as she quickened her pace ever so slightly.

Looks like the conversation meant for two, was secretly becoming for three.

END CHAPTER 10

AN (Trying to get the love going in this story ;) Let's see what happens next chapter eh? Hehehehe)


	12. Chapter 11 Not LoveYet!

AN: (After watching Naruto the Last Movie I went back and did some changes to the NaruHina Scene! So enjoy...or don't…whatever really ;P )

Chapter 11 Not Love...Yet!

Dodging and weaving through different stray objects throughout the village, Ino was able to remain hidden while following the oblivious man and woman in front of her. After walking for almost twenty minutes, Naruto and Hinata finally reached the lone red bridge just outside of Training Ground Nine. Ino was able to jump up into a nearby tree just before the beginning of the bridge, while Naruto and Hinata walked to the middle over the water, but still within Ino's range of hearing.

'_What the hell is going on!?' _Ino thought with a glare as she pushed some leaves away for a better view. _'Why did she march his ass all the way out here!?'_

Ino bit her lower lip in anticipation as there seemed to be an awkward silence between the couple for the moment. They had been complete chatter boxes on the way here, but as soon as their feet hit the surface of the bridge their voices seemed to have been stolen away. Hinata had her back leaned against the support bar, keeping her from plummeting into the icy water below. Naruto was leaned forward against the same railing, instead choosing to look down at the sparkling stream below that glowed in the moonlight.

Neither of them looked at each other, and both kept still as if they were frozen in time. Ino watched with narrow eyes as a bead of sweat trailed down the side of her face, becoming extremely confused at how quiet the pair had become out of nowhere.

'_Did I miss something?' _Ino thought with a raised brow.

"So… What's up, Hinata?" Naruto spoke up, slightly turning his head to look over at the shy brunette standing next to him.

'_Finally!' _Ino thought. _'I was thinking this show would never get on the road!'_

Hinata blushed and turned her head as well, locking eyes with the taller blond man.

"What do you mean, Naruto-Kun?" Hinata asked quietly. "I already told you about my day and what the meeting with Father was ab-"

"No… I mean… why did you ask me to come here with you, Hinata?" Naruto interrupted with a cheeky grin and snicker, earning a blush.

Hinata also smiled after resettling and turned her eyes to the floor and let her body relax back into her leaned position. Naruto studied her calm demeanor with growing anticipation, and he began to wonder if what she was going to talk to him about was what he'd thought all along.

"I'm sorry for dragging you out like this on such late notice, Naruto-Kun… I just felt I couldn't wait on this matter much longer." Hinata spoke sweetly but not turning her eyes from the floor.

'_Kiss ass,' _Ino thought with rolled eyes.

"It's alright, Hinata…" Naruto said with a soft smile that Hinata didn't see, her eyes still on the floor. "I wanted to come; you didn't force me anywhere."

Hinata nodded slightly and took a deep breath, leaning her back even further into the railing behind her. A soft breeze moved through the trees and brought a calmness to the situation, which helped the flustered brunette find her footing.

"N… Naruto-Kun… may I ask you a question?" Hinata asked, gulping quietly.

"Shoot," Naruto responded, doing a playful finger gun with his hand.

"Do… do you remember what happed during the Pein invasion?" she asked, turning slowly to look up at him. "Or… more so… what I said to you?"

'_Huh? What the hell is she bring up something like that for?' _Ino thought with a scowl.

Naruto turned to look back down at the water below, seemingly like he was trying to avoid the question. Finally, he answered.

"I love you…" Naruto whispered out with a blank tone.

Ino froze, not daring to take a breath or blink. Shock etched her face and she sat there, not knowing how to respond to what he just said.

'_N… Naruto-Kun… Y… you love…._' Ino thought with a waivered voice_._

"That's what you said to me…. right?" Naruto finished after his long pause, earning a nod from Hinata and a sigh of relief from an unknown source.

'_Jesus, I almost had a heart attack!' _Ino thought, patting her chest softly.

"Naruto-Kun… why… why didn't you ever come talk to me after I confessed to you?! I tried so many times to talk to you after that day, but it always seemed you didn't want to, or were avoiding me all together. That is… Until tonight…" Hinata spoke with a whimper in her voice, obviously trying to hold back her emotions. "So… why?"

Unfallen tears glistened in Hinata's eyes and she quickly wiped them away with her palm. Naruto's shoulders slouched and his eyes lost emotion, still not breaking from the water's surface. He looked tired to anyone who gave him a glance, but was it physically… or emotionally?

"Hinata… I'm sorry," Naruto said in a soft, emotionless tone. "It wasn't right for me to block you out like that after what you said, but… please hear me out as to why I did so."

Hinata didn't respond, simply staring and politely waiting for him to continue. Ino leaned forward with anticipation, thinking how amazing it would have been to have some popcorn right then, because things were about to get heavy.

"Hinata… When you confessed to me during the fight with Pein… I have to admit it, was one of the most badass things I think a woman could have ever done for me! I'm not a very romantic guy, but I would say hands down that was about as romantic as it gets, in my opinion." Naruto said with a smile.

'_Noted,' _Ino thought.

Hinata frowned and stepped closer to Naruto.

"But then, why didn't you come talk to me!?" she asked, quite loudly for her usual tone.

Naruto closed his eyes and clenched his fist tightly.

"Hinata… I… I guess I was scared," he said softly.

"Of what, Naruto-Kun?" Hinata asked with a raised brow, truly not understanding what could have shaken him.

There was a silence between the couple as Naruto pondered how to answer. His blond spikes and her ebony locks moved slightly with the breeze.

"Hinata… Not once in my entire life had I ever had a person tell them they love me… not one… until you." Naruto said with a crackle in his voice, his eyes now hidden behind his bangs. "I grew up alone and had to fend for myself. I never had someone to nurture me… or give me compassion. I grew up without love."

Hinata looked down with a frown and Ino let her body droop with sadness. Both were understanding of the young man's past, but neither had ever thought he could be emotionally challenged because of it.

"So to be quite honest with you, Hinata… I was afraid to talk to you… because I honestly have no idea what love even is."

Hinata looked up with sad eyes, watching the man she cared for stare blankly into the river below. Ino grasped at her top directly above her heart, trying to keep herself from getting emotional.

'_Naruto-Kun…'_

"But, Naruto-Kun…What about Sakura-San? You loved her since we were kids!" Hinata pleaded.

Naruto vocally scoffed and let a sad smile grace his face. Hinata blinked a few times at his actions and let her shoulders slouch with the sad feelings Naruto was giving off.

"No… that wasn't love. Sure, I had a crush on her, but… it was more of a want or fondness more so than 'Love'," he said, using his hand as air quotes. "But then again… I don't know what love is, so it might have been, HAHA!"

Hinata frowned at that but also felt comforted to hear those words leave his lips. For years, she had seen herself as inferior to the pink bombshell. To hear her love say he never truly felt anything for her… it made her heart flutter.

"Hinata… can I ask you possibly the most cliché thing that will ever come out of my mouth?" Naruto asked, turning his head to look her in the eyes.

Hinata's eyes widened at the request for a moment before nodding with a smile, already knowing his question.

"Hinata…what's…Love?" he asked, playing with his bangs shyly.

Hinata turned her body so she was no longer leaning against the railing with her back but now with her stomach and arms just as Naruto was doing. She looked down contently as the water rushed below them. She smiled and brushed her bangs aside.

"Love is when you care for someone more than you care for yourself. It's when you get all fluffy and warm when you're near that person, and when you're not with them, you feel lost… like a piece of you is missing," Hinata said sweetly, earning a smile from her blond companion.

"Love is the willingness to do whatever it takes to make that person happy. Love is when you wake up to thoughts of them and fall asleep to dreams of them. Love is when your entire being… only lights up when that person is with you. Love is…"

"Me," Naruto cut in with a sad smile on his face.

Hinata looked quickly over to Naruto who was staring at her deeply, making her blush the hardest she had done all evening.

"Y… yes," she responded, fidgeting and mumbling unintelligibly under her breath. "Love… is you."

Naruto smiled and turned his body so he was now standing upright right in front of her, his dark blues locking with her trembling violets. She held back a breath as Naruto leaned in slowly, inching his face closer to her own, his face still seeming distressed.

"N…Naru-"

His lips softly meshed with her own, cutting her from her remark. The night stood still as Hinata's head reeled with thoughts and emotions. After a moment of complete shock she leaned in grasping the back of his orange shirt, deepening the kiss.

Ino watched with shaking eyes as tears threatened to fall. Her shoulders shook and the grip on her shirt over her heart tightened, making her fist shake violently.

"N… no…" she mumbled with a trembling voice. "Naruto-Kun….. Why….?"

Naruto leaned away, breaking the kiss silently. Hinata slowly opened her eyes and stared up at Naruto with an extravagant smile. Her whole world had just been lit up, and she had no idea how to contain herself. That is… until she realized Naruto's expression.

"N… Naruto-Kun?" Hinata asked in a worried tone, watching Naruto's dull sad eyes look back into hers.

His face seemed pale and the bags under his eyes seemed to somehow darken. He cast his eyes downward, not wanting to look at her.

"I'm sorry, Hinata…" Naruto whispered as he lifted his hand to rest gently on her left cheek.

Hinata leaned into his touch.

"What for, Naruto-Kun? Is it because that was your first kiss? Because it was mine, too! So it's okay if yo-"

"Hinata…" Naruto cut in, making Hinata's mood drop at his tone.

She could feel the hurt in his voice. The way his hand trembled next to her cheek. How his eyes didn't shine like they should have… Naruto was… hurting.

"I don't… Love you."

Hinata's eyes widened as well as another blond pair of eyes a little ways off. Hinata immediately took a step backwards away from Naruto. Her cheeks immediately became covered in falling tears. She stood frozen as Naruto stared with complete sorrow on his face to the bridge below. He looked as if his whole world had just shattered.

Hinata was not far from the feeling as well.

"W…wha…" she stuttered out, her voice not finding its volume.

Hinata shook with emotion, lifting her arms to cradle herself. Her throat became heavy, and her vision blurred. She felt like her heart had just been ripped from her chest.

"When… you were mentioning all of those meanings for love… I never once could picture you, Hinata. I tried so hard to see you in those roles… but it never fit. It felt wrong to me… we didn't match or blend in my eyes… To be honest… someone else kept popping in my head. Your face kept being replaced with hers… but… I didn't want to leave any doubts, Hinata –"

"SO YOU KISSED ME!?" Hinata yelled as tears flowed down her face and her body trembled.

Naruto turned his eyes to the floor once again and tried to hold back his emotions.

"I wanted to see if my head was being stupid and my heart just wasn't getting through to me…. I wanted to see if I kissed you….. if I would feel anything," Naruto mumbled as hidden tears threatened to squeak out, yet never fell.

Hinata balled up as she fell to her knees, crying as her eyes faced the floor. Her chest burned and her arms shook trying to support her crouched over position.

"You… (Sniffle)…. You didn't feel anything, did you?" Hinata asked in the most composed tone she could muster at the moment.

The silence that followed was all the answer she needed.

Slowly lifting herself to her feet, Hinata made sure not to look up at Naruto.

"Thank you…" She spoke with a shaky voice that sounded as if it could fail on her at any moment. "Even though this was not the answer I was looking for… I am glad I was able to share my first kiss with you, Naruto-Kun… It hurts… but there would be no point in us dating if you didn't feel for me like I do for you."

Naruto stayed in his position, unmoving. His unfallen tears dried and his eyes became a lot more distant as time passed on. He felt like all the progress he had made in the last couple weeks was being washed from him the more she spoke. He had never meant to hurt her… he never meant to wrench her heart and his own out and throw them to the birds. He just wanted… well… not even he knew what he wanted at the moment.

Hinata turned and began to walk away with heavy slow steps, before Naruto's heavy and hollow voice stopped her.

"I'm so sorry, Hinata…. I'm so, so sorry," Naruto whispered out, making Hinata look over her shoulder, tears still falling. "I never… ever… wanted to hurt you… NEVER!" he choked out, trying to keep himself from breaking down.

"I'm so sorry…" he said once again, his head shaking slowly side to side to emphasis his point.

Hinata looked back at him with blank eyes before turning her head away and facing towards the direction they had previously walked. She stood silent yet tall as the wind blew her hair. Her tears dried with the breeze and she felt somehow happy for some reason.

"I'm not," Hinata said confidently, making Naruto look up quickly and stare at the back of her small form.

His mouth hung open slightly and his eyes shook.

"This was the closure I was looking for, Naruto-Kun…" she said calmly with sniffles breaking her words briefly. "I needed this so badly. Even though I'm hurting… and I'm trying my best to keep myself from sobbing like a child… I understand I can move on now with my life.

"I will always and forever hold a place for you in my heart, but now I get to move on… with no regrets. I did get to finally kiss you… which is kind of a win in itself," she said with a smile, earning a small one from Naruto.

Naruto continued to stare, his eyes becoming more focused and his posture becoming more upright. Yet he remained unmoved from where he stood.

"I'm also happy for you, Naruto-Kun," Hinata said in a much more calm tone.

Naruto flinched at this and raised his brow. How he could even imagine a woman getting her heart ripped out and taking it so well he could never understand, but then again… this girl was a lot different from Ino and Sakura.

"Happy… for me? What could you possibly be happy for?" he asked in a shaky tone. "I just broke your heart…. how could you possibly be happy for me?"

Hinata smiled and wiped her eyes, still facing down the road.

"You said for yourself that when I was listing all the ways you can know you're in love, you kept having someone pop in your head. So that means you must love someone, right?" She asked closer to her usual tone.

Naruto blinked slowly as he too wiped the tear streaks from his eyes.

"I… don't know if I necessarily love her… but I definitely think…. I think…"

"You could?" Hinata finished with a soft tone.

Naruto nodded to himself, which Hinata couldn't possibly see with her back turned at the moment, before his voice spoke up again.

"I don't know if I even like her like that!" he said loudly. "I just… I just like being around her… even right now I have no idea what to do, and I wish she was here to help me! She would know how to handle this and help me get through these feelings! She's… special like that… she's been kind of my wall lately."

There was a silence after that as Hinata, Naruto, and even Ino all didn't move. The emotions had finally reached their tipping point.

"Then I'm happy for you, Naruto-Kun," Hinata said with a hidden smile. "She's a very lucky lady to have your attention."

Naruto became frustrated at her words and balled his fist, taking a step forward aggressively.

"Who cares if I'm happy, Hinata? I'm already pretty fucked up as it is! What about you!? Are you going to be okay? I don't want you ending up like I am! I don't want you hurting like I do every day!" he blurted out.

Hinata let a smile spread across her face.

"I'll be fine, Naruto-Kun… I just need time… You're going to be okay, as well… We both are. You've got a strong head and a big heart to guide you. You just need to get your feet moving in the right direction… which I have no doubt you already have."

Naruto frowned slightly.

"And I… I will be just fine as well. I'm hurting… but I could never let this keep me down. It's kind of like you said in your speech… I have just run across a failure in my life. I have fallen… but I will get back up. Because I… just like you… will stand and tell life I'm no quitter! That's what we do… right… Naruto-Kun? That's… who we are."

Hinata looked back over her shoulder to lock eyes with Naruto.

"So don't let this keep you down either, Naruto-Kun, because… just like always… I'm following in your footsteps. I'm… right behind you."

Naruto looked back with awe. His frown slowly rose into a grin and his posture rose to his normal stature. With a wink and a thumbs up, Naruto giggled.

"We never go back on our word! Because that's our-"

"Ninja way," Hinata finished with a large loving smile on her face.

"Thank you… Naruto-Kun," Hinata whispered, earning a more loving smile from her hero.

"No… thank you… Hinata," he whispered back

Hinata turned towards the path away from the bridge and began to walk away before stopping only after a few steps.

"Naruto-Kun… may I ask you one last question?" she voiced, turning to look over her shoulder to see Naruto nod in approval.

"May I know who she is?"

Naruto's eyes widened and his cheeks flared up. He quickly began to scratch the back of his head with embarrassment.

"Well, I, uh… I mean…" Naruto stumbled over his words, trying to find a way around the question.

"I'm only asking so that I can go kill her myself," Hinata interrupted, making Naruto's eyes go wide with shock.

They stood still staring at one another before both smiled and burst into a fit of giggles, despite the groggy mood that seemed to be finally dissipating between them.

"Ha-ha, sorry Hinata… but for now, it's a secret!" Naruto said, placing a finger over his lips playfully. .

Hinata pouted before sending another sweet smile and wink.

"Alright then, Naruto-Kun, if you say so. Just make sure she isn't crazy… okay?"

Naruto nodded and gave an enthusiastic thumbs up, earning another giggle.

"Call me when you're ready to go get Molly, Naruto-Kun. I'm still going to help you," Hinata said sweetly as she began to walk away. "And never look back, Naruto-Kun! After all… you are and will always be my hero.

Naruto smiled at this before placing his hand gently over his heart and closing his eyes.

"Thank you, Hinata," he whispered happily. "Truly."

At that, Hinata disappeared over the hill back towards the village, leaving Naruto standing there alone. He did one last effort to wipe the tears from his eyes before letting his arm drop to his side lazily. With a turn of his head Naruto looked up and over to a tree just past the entrance to the bridge.

Naruto's mood turned back into a more reserved and sullen demeanor after the departure of Hinata. He did a well enough job holding himself together through the heart wrenching encounter. Yet he was finally allowing the pent up sadness to release. His entire being seemed to do a complete turnaround.

"Are you planning on staying up there all night?" he asked with a sudden sternness in his voice.

With a sudden gasp of air that could be heard from yards away Naruto stood still looking up towards the large tree. The leaves dancing with the breeze creating a beautiful white noise in the air.

After a moment the eavesdropper dropped down from the tree above and landed elegantly on the forest floor. Ino fidgeted with a platinum blond strand around her finger as a giant pink blush crept upon her cheeks. A goofy grin was plastered on her rosy face, letting an embarrassed giggle creep past her lips.

"He… he… N… Naruto-Kun! How unexpected to see you here of all places!" Ino said cheekily, trying to play off as if she had just arrived to the location.

Opening her eyes from her embarrassed cheeky grin, she locked gazes with the obviously unamused man, who glared back at her with a calm, yet penetrating gaze. Ino gulped at how shockingly stern Naruto was holding himself and looking upon her. If she wouldn't know any better, she would have guessed he was upset with her.

"Come here, Ino…" Naruto ordered out in a shallow and aggressive voice.

Ino watched as Naruto's gaze narrowed, showing he was not playing around at the moment. She walked slowly with calculating steps as she made her way up the bridge and stopped a few steps away from the still glaring Naruto.

With an extremely awkward silence in the air, Ino looked down at her feet not wanting to look at the man who she could feel was still not breaking his eyes from her. With a gulp, she rubbed the back of her head, trying to find her voice.

"I… I guess you knew I was there the whole time huh?" Ino said in a joking tone, trying to lighten the mood.

She risked a glance upwards. Naruto didn't respond as he continued to glare at her with a completely expressionless face. The only emotion was Naruto's eyes, which at the moment could bring anyone to their knees with the anger that shone within them. It shook Ino, never having seen Naruto look at her like this.

"N… Narut-"

With three quick steps, Naruto stepped forward and embraced her in a large warm hug making her flinch. He dug his face into the crook of her neck immediately. Ino stood still with her arms still at her side, her face turning bright as a tomato. Reaching slowly upwards, she wrapped her arms carefully around his upper back and leaned into the embrace.

"I don't know why you're here… but I'm glad you are," Naruto whispered out with a mumble.

Ino blinked a few times, not knowing what to say. She had been hugged by Naruto before, but this felt… needing… loving. Well, at least in her own little world it did… or maybe… it really was.

"Sorry… for just latching onto you all of a sudden," he mumbled into her neck, his warm breath making Ino tickle slightly. "I just needed to either punch something or have something to hold, ha-ha."

Ino smiled and rubbed his back gently, allowing him to relax into her. She rested her chin on his shoulder, taking in the smell of his cologne once again.

"I think you two handled that quite well, if I do say so myself," Ino whispered into his ear, a few inches from her lips.

Naruto leaned back, breaking the hug and allowing both of them to step apart. Naruto held a somber look to him as he kept his eyes to the floor. Ino moved her hair from her face and gave the man a supportive smile even though he didn't see it.

"You okay, dummy?" she asked in a cute tone.

Naruto looked up with a smirk that said he was doing his best to show he was alright, but no one would actually buy it.

"I'll be fine, Ino, thank you… here, I'll walk you home… it's late," Naruto said gently, using his arm to motion for them to begin walking back towards the village.

Ino smiled with tinted cheeks before poking Naruto playfully on the cheek with her finger.

"Na, ah, ah!" she smirked, waving her finger in front of his face. "You're the one who needs an escort after your day! _I'll_ walk _you_ home!"

Naruto actually blushed at this and could only laugh slightly to himself.

'_Only you Ino could possibly think I would need help home, ha-ha'_ he thought with a smile, secretly very appreciative that she had thought for his wellbeing before her own.

"Now come on, Idiot!" Ino said playfully as she grabbed the collar of Naruto's shirt, yanking him forward off towards his home.

As Naruto was dragged home, his eyes softened, looking back at the platinum blonde's head. He relaxing into the aggressive yanking at let his face glow with his sudden happiness.

'_You know… I could get used to having someone like Ino around more.' _Naruto thought with a smirk.

"Hurry up, I'm starving! You better have something I can fix up at your place!" Ino said over her shoulder, shooting him grin.

Naruto's face slowly contorted into a shocked frown as he swallowed back a dry hard gulp.

'_M… m… my place!?'_

_20 Min Later, Uzumaki Residence. –_

Finally able to insert his key into the lock without having his wrist shaking, Naruto opened the door to his new two bedroom apartment that was now located on the ground floor, which was much better than his one room, top of the building junk shack he used to call a home. His new apartment was in a very nice, well-maintained complex, just outside the market district.

As soon as the door was pushed open, Ino barged in and patted her hand on the wall next to the door frame until she located the light switch. With a flick of her wrist, she cast the entrance hall into light. She did a quick glance of the entrance hall, noting the only furniture was a small door side table where guests could put there keys or other amenities. Naruto walked in behind her and closed the door gently. He turned back to the now sitting down Ino, who was unzipping her knee high boots. Noticing the awkward gaze upon her, Ino pulled of her boot and placed it on the floor before looking up with a raised brow.

"Is there a reason you're just standing there staring at me?" Ino asked in an aggravated tone.

Naruto blinked a few times in embarrassment before he quickly pulled of both his shoes in a blur and bolted into the kitchen, leaving a gust of wind in his wake.

"N… no reason he… he! Sorry!" Naruto announced from the other room, earning a scowl from Ino, who now had to fix her hair.

"Idiot," she mumbled under her breath.

Able to straighten herself out after Naruto's sudden burst, she took off her second boot and turned to make her way down the hall. She had never been inside Naruto's home before, but had heard from many a bitching from Sakura, it was usually absolutely filthy.

'_Seems rather normal thus far,' _Ino noted as she continued onward into the apartment.

She made her way with slow, easy steps, taking in the atmosphere. She noted the smell of the home first. Every home had its own unique smell, and Naruto's was no exception. It had a soft scent of as far as she could tell was some kind of cologne or body spray. It was not the same smell she had encountered earlier when close to the man, so she figured it was another he owned.

'_Smells nice…'_

As she made her way to the end of the short wooden floor hallway, she couldn't help but notice how all the walls were lacking in pictures or even paintings. There was nothing but the slight off-white beige color the original decorator had painted them.

'_I guess growing up as an orphan doesn't really leave you with a lot of family photos, huh?' _She asked herself with a sigh.

Making her way to the end, she noticed the hall broke off to make the shape of a capital T as she could best picture it. With her back to the short hall that lead to the front door, to her left led to a small, half kitchen, half living room area, where she could clearly hear Naruto knocking over pots or perhaps pans for some reason. She then turned to her left to see another short hall that had one closed door on the left wall another closed door opposite the first on the right wall. Lastly was a larger wooden door placed directly at the end of the hall, which she guessed to be Naruto's room.

Spinning on her heels, she walked into the kitchen/living room area Naruto was currently in. She scanned the room from right to left, taking it all in.

Starting from the right, there was a three seated couch that was set against the far back right hand wall of the room. In front of the couch was a fairly large entertainment setup with a large flat screen T.V. mounted onto the wall above a rather nice looking shelf that held a D.V.D player, assorted movies, and lastly some kind of game console that she had no clue about. In between the couch and T.V. was a notch in the wall where a rather nice fire place stood, that looked to have been untouched by Naruto thus far.

She looked away from the living room setup to now go over the left side of the room, where the kitchen laid. The kitchen was a fairly decent sized cooking area with the main shape being a U that hugged the walls of the room. The cabinets that ran along the walls of the kitchen had a nice, cherry oaked finish to them. The counter tops were a cocoa brown-colored marble, all of the appliances being made of stainless steel. There was a small island in the center of the U-shaped kitchen, where a large bowl of fruit had been placed.

Smack dab in the middle of the room between the kitchen and a living area was a small, round table with two wooden chairs tucked underneath.

Ino blinked a few times going over the room once more before able to think of how to describe it.

'_This is where Naruto-Kun lives!? This is rather… nice! Hell, I could even live here!' _Ino thought with a smile before a small blush brushed her cheeks at her last thought.

Pulling herself from her little flutter fest, she noticed that there was a key person missing from the room at the moment.

'_Wait… where did Naruto-Kun go?" _she thought while scratching her chin. _"I know he went in here… and there isn't really a way out besides squeezing into the fire place…' _

But before she could really dive into the mystery, a small door disguised to look like a carpet mat opened up in the kitchen, revealing a slightly dusty Naruto who popped his head up just past the floor's surface. Ino looked down at the man from across the room and he looked back up at her with a goofy, embarrassed smile.

"W… what… what, uhh… what are you doing, Naruto-Kun?" Ino asked with a raised brow and flabbergasted tone to her voice.

"I was getting you something nice to drink… I think..." Naruto said in a wishy-washy voice.

Ino raised her brow even higher at his answer and she walked over to stand just outside the small entrance Naruto currently stood in. She stood practically right over him, and if she had been wearing a skirt, Naruto would have been able to see all of her cash prizes.

"A drink? And where exactly are you getting me a drink from?" she asked with a little disgust on her face.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head as a cheeky embarrassed smile spread on his face.

"From my wine cellar," Naruto mumbled out allowing one of his eyes to peek open and look up at the now once again flabbergasted woman.

"You have a freaking wine cellar?!" Ino asked loudly, earning a wince from Naruto.

"Well… ya! Ero-Sennin left me a lot of his fortune when he passed, so I was able to purchase this really high-end apartment. Which I didn't even realize until later… had a wine cellar. It's not that big, more like a room with some shelves, but it does the trick!" Naruto explained with a blank face.

Ino blinked a few times, still quite blown away.

"But… you don't even drink!" Ino responded with wide shocked eyes.

"Ha-ha! No, I don't, really! But after the war, a lot of people gave me all sorts of weird gifts and left them on my doorstep and stuff. So I've been collecting all the wine, sake, and other alcoholic beverages down here ever since I found it!" Naruto said with a smile, shaking out the dust from his hair.

Ino stepped back to allow Naruto to climb the small ladder back into his kitchen and shut the small wooded door, letting it once again lay flush with the floor. Standing up, Naruto revealed a rather dusty bottle of wine he had been carrying under his arm. Placing the bottle onto the island, Naruto looked back towards his guest with a rather broad blush on his cheeks.

"He-he… welcome, Ino!" Naruto said embarrassingly as he rubbed the back of his head.

Ino looked at the bottle with squinted eyes and a raised brow before turning to look at Naruto with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Okay, Naruto-kun, what the hell is going on? You've been acting weird ever since we entered your place, and now you go and get this fancy bottle of wine.' Ino glared at the squeamish Naruto before a large blush spread over her cheeks.

"A… are you trying to seduce me?" she asked with a shaky voice.

Naruto's eyes immediately shot open from his embarrassed smile. He waved his arm in front of him in a wishy-washy motion, vigorously trying to deny her question.

"Nonononono… not at all, Ino, it's just that…. uh…" He trailed off, leaving a still taken aback Ino.

"Just?" Ino asked with a little more reserve in her voice, not sure if she felt uncomfortable by the thought or incredibly excited.

Naruto let his arm fall back at his side heavily as he looked away and towards the bottle on the counter.

"Honestly, Ino… you're my first female guest outside Sakura-Neechan," Naruto stated in a somber tone.

Ino scrunched her lips at the answer and allowed her arms to unfold.

"So?" she asked sternly.

"Well… I've never really known how to treat a lady. I know you wouldn't treat them like you would your guy friends… I at least know that much! But Ero-Sennin always said I sucked when it came to woman. So he told me if I ever had a member of the opposite sex over at my place, I should break out a nice bottle of wine and make her feel cozy. So… I'm trying to do that," Naruto said in the most innocent voice he could muster.

Ino smiled softly and without answering his explanation, turned and began to open up the cabinets behind her. Naruto looked back with a questioned face.

"What are you doing?" he asked in quizzical tone.

"I'm looking for your wine glasses." She closed one cabinet and opened another.

"My wine… glasses?"

Ino turned away from the cabinets to give Naruto a loving smile.

"Well ya, sounds like your Sensei was pretty wise when it came to women, so why don't we crack open that bottle if he said it's the way to go?" she asked in a loving tone.

Naruto blinked slightly before smiling back at her brightly.

"Okay! I don't really have wine glasses…. but there's a couple coffee mugs in the cupboard to your left!" he stated happily, pointing to the cupboard in question.

Ino sweat dropped at this but decided to let it slide, knowing Naruto had absolutely zero experience when it came to romance… If that was the direction he was even trying to go with this.

Pulling out the two white ceramic mugs, Ino placed them upon the counter and watched as Naruto pooped the bottle open. Surprisingly, he had little trouble despite only having one hand.

"Have you ever tried wine before, Ino?" Naruto asked nervously as he poured the two drinks.

"Never tried it before," she responded, watching the red liquid fall into the mugs.

"Oh! Well, Ero-Sennin forced me to drink it on my fifteenth birthday when I was on my training trip with him. Just picture it as a slightly bitter grape juice, and it isn't that bad, ha-ha!" Naruto said with a smile, handing her the mug filled about half way with the blood red alcohol.

Ino raised her cup to her nose to give a sniff before cautiously slipping it between her lips and taking a slight sip. As her face puckered up immediately after tasting it, Naruto began to laugh and had to put down his own mug to keep from spilling.

"What the hell?! This stuff tastes really bitter!" Ino complained as she stuck out her tongue to show her dislike of the drink.

"HAHA! Oh come on, this is actually a very expensive wine! Some merchant gave it to me a couple days after we got home from the war. He says it's valued at around 10,000 Yen!" Naruto said with a smile as he took a sip himself.

Naruto smiled and took the mug away from his face.

"Oh ya, this is a thousand times better than that stuff Ero-Sennin made me chug down, ha-ha!" he said, swirling the drink in his hand in a circular motion.

Ino puckered her lips again as she tried to take another sip of the drink. Placing the drink onto the counter top, she scowled at the mug.

"Maybe wine just isn't my thing," she said with a slight frown. "Sorry"

"Na, that's okay, Ino! It's certainly not for everyone! I have some sake, champagne and some assorted beers as well down there. You want to give them a try?" Naruto asked finishing off his glass with a gulp.

Ino made a face as if she was giving it some actual thought but both parties were broken from the conversation as a slight grumble emitted from Ino's midsection. She quickly looked down with a flustered look and blushed.

"I… I guess I forgot I was really hungry for a second," she mumbled out, rubbing her stomach.

Naruto smiled and placed his empty mug on the counter top.

"Well then, the drinks will wait!" He placed the cork back into the bottle and set it next to the two mugs. "What're you in the mood for? Sakura-Neechan was getting on my case about my diet, so I actually went grocery shopping last night. So if you can think it, I can make it!"

Ino looked at Naruto like he was the biggest liar she had ever met in her life. Throwing her finger in his direction, she gave a scowl.

"_You_ cook?" she asked in the most you're full of shit tone.

Naruto shot back a frown and narrowed his eyes playfully.

"Well with that attitude I sure the hell won't! But if you don't act like an ass about it, yes, I can cook quite well, thank you! Very much" Naruto shot back with a hurt tone, turning his face away with a pout.

"I don't count instant ramen as cooking, dumbass!" Ino replied as Naruto turned to walk to the fridge.

Vocally scoffing at her remark, Naruto opened the fridge and began to take out random items and ingredients as he saw fit. Ino watched for a moment, not understanding what he could be planning to make.

"So, you gonna let me in on what you will be preparing for us this… well, early morning?" Ino asked, looking at the clock on the wall by the kitchen table.

Naruto continued to pull out supplies until he placed and pot on the stove and turned on the burner.

"Since you didn't pick, I figured some spicy curry and rice would do the trick!" he stated as began to add some of the earlier ingredients to the pot. "So why don't you go make yourself comfortable? I'll have this simmering soon."

Ino raised her brow and decided to just drop the bickering. She actually really enjoyed curry, being that she herself made it for Ezra quite often at home. She turned on her heel and made her way to the living room. With a sigh, she sat herself onto the couch and pulled out her phone to prowl the social webs.

She lost track of time and the spicy aroma of curry lofted through the home, bringing her from her scrolling. Looking up, she could see Naruto stirring away at the thick broth inside the countertop pot. He was humming a soft tune to himself, which made Ino smile and watch sweetly.

"Is it almost ready, Naruto-Kun?" she asked, watching Naruto turn off the burner.

"Just finished, Ino!" he replied happily.

Ino got up from the couch and walked over to sit at the dining table. Just as she pulled out her chair and sat down, Naruto placed a hot plate of rice and spicy beef curry in front of her. Taking the chair opposite of her, he watched Ino carefully, not wanting to take a bite himself until he saw her reaction.

Ino picked up her spoon and took a small portion from the plate and lifted closer to inspect it. She glared at the food on her spoon, taking every precaution before she ever dared to put it in her mouth.

'_Smells normal… doesn't look as if it would kill me…' _she thought cautiously, eyeing her spoon carefully. _'Even appears to be cooked correctly.' _

With one last glance at the staring and smiling Naruto, she slowly put the food into her mouth and swallowed. Naruto leaned in closely, watching her slowly chew the food and swallow; the anticipation was killing him.

His waiting was rewarded though as Ino's eyes lit up and she quickly stuffed another spoonful into her mouth. She continued to do this quickly as Naruto watched with the brightest smile on his face.

"Told you I can cook, 'dumb ass'," Naruto said cheekily.

The sudden comment made her stop her gorging mid bite and glare at Naruto. With a huge swallow so she could speak she let her scowl fall and gave him a smile.

"I'm sorry I doubted you, Naruto-Kun! This is amazing! How did you ever learn to cook like this?" she asked before stuffing another spoonful into her mouth.

Naruto swallowed his own bite before answering.

"Ero-Sennin and I were always on the road, so I became rather decent at making my own meals while we were between cities. I guess just after a while, I gained some talent at it, ha-ha!" he said with a smile.

"Well, I can honestly say this is some of the best curry I've ever had! So thank you so much, Naruto-Kun!" Ino said happily, finishing off her plate. "I'm really tempted to get seconds, but I'm still on my diet!"

Her last comment made him look up from his meal with complete bafflement on his face. He placed down his spoon and looked at her with deep eyes.

"Why the hell are _you_ on a diet?" he asked in an aggravated tone.

Ino blushed at the question and turned away with a scoff, pointing her nose to the roof.

"I have to make sure I look good, idiot! I can't let my figure get away from me!" she responded in a matter of fact tone.

Naruto rolled his eyes and scoffed before continuing to eat his food. Ino became upset at that reaction and turned back, slamming her hand onto the table.

"What's that reaction for, huh!? You got something you want to say!?" she hollered, but earned hardly a reaction from Naruto who continued to eat peacefully.

Finishing his last bite, Naruto placed his spoon down and stood from his chair as Ino continued to glare at him. Grabbing both of their plates, he turned to make his way to the sink. Ino hollered once more, making him stop and look over his shoulder calmly.

"Well! You seem to have a comment on my choice of eating!" she blurted out.

Naruto looked back with calm eyes before he smiled and turned back to the sink.

"I just don't get why you need to diet at all, Ino… you're already one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen in my life" Naruto informed calmly, pulling the nozzle to allow the sink to fill with water.

There was silence in the kitchen after that as Naruto cleaned the dishes. After a few moments of not hearing Ino speak, he turned to look over his shoulder to see her staring with the biggest blush he had ever seen on a woman before. He smiled at this, knowing he had gotten his point across.

"T…T… thank you Naruto-Kun," she eventually whispered, looking at the floor to help hide her flustered face.

Naruto only smiled and continued to finish the dishes, letting her sit and bask in his compliment.

After about five minutes, Naruto turned off the water and dried his one hand on a towel that was placed next to the sink. Turning to walk back to the table, he stopped, noticing Ino was staring at him. She held no emotion on her face, but rather she was just staring, clearly lost in her own thoughts. Naruto felt uncomfortable under the gaze.

"Naruto…" she asked in a monotone voice.

"Uh… ya?" he responded, taking his old seat at the table across from Ino.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" she asked, placing her chin in her hands, leaning with her elbows onto the table top.

Naruto leaned in as well, staring back into her unwavering eyes. He gave her a look that he would allow her request and Ino took a breath.

"May I know who the girl you mentioned to Hinata on the bridge is? I'm curious…" she asked, batting her eyelashes a few times for effect.

Naruto could only stare back with a blank face as a slow pink blush made its way up his face.

"Why?" he responded blankly.

Ino just shrugged casually. "Like I said, I'm just curious."

Naruto was able to shake the flutter from his body. Turning back to look at her Naruto watched as Ino's eyes didn't move from his own. She wasn't going to let him out of this without an answer.

"I… I, uh… the girl I was talking about…. Was, uh." Naruto stuttered out, trying to find a way out of the question.

"It was….y-" Naruto was saved from the embarrassing answer as a knock at the door sounded loudly.

Ino flinched at the sudden sound and Naruto immediately got up and bolted for the door, opening it quickly. Ino frowned with anger, knowing she was cheated out of what she thought would be a confession by her crush.

After a moment, Ino heard the door close, and not long after Naruto walked back around the corner with a scroll in his hand and a confused look on his face.

"Who was it?" she asked with a raised brow, still slightly put off.

Naruto walked forward and placed the scroll in front of her.

"It was the Anbu Black Ops…they told me to give you this immediately," he explained still with a baffled look, scratching the back of his head. "I really want to know how they even knew you were here…?"

Ino only shrugged, picking up the scroll and reading it to herself. She frowned while reading and sighed in exasperation, rolling the paper back up.

"What did it say?" Naruto asked in concern, not liking being left out of the loop.

"Says that I have to go on an escort mission in the morning with Shika and Choji…" she said in a bitter tone. "Guess I'll need to head home to prepare.

"Wait… but we all just got back from a mission! How could they expect you to go on another one!?" Naruto asked in a put off tone.

Ino calmly stood and pushed her chair in with a slight screech as it skid across the floor. "Ya, but we weren't as injured as you were, Naruto-kun. So it isn't that big of a deal for the three of us to be sent out again."

Naruto stood as well and followed Ino to the front door where she sat down to put on her boots.

"Well, that still sucks! Ugh… well, I'll at least walk you home, then!" Naruto said confidently, reaching for his own shoes.

Ino quickly swatted his hands away though, giving him a glare.

"No I already told you, you aren't allowed to walk me home tonight! I won't allow it!" she ordered.

Naruto glared at her and pulled his arm back to his side.

"Whatever…" he mumbled, not liking how he wasn't allowed to be gentlemanly to her tonight.

"How long you gonna be gone for?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head.

Ino stood and patted her bottom to get the dust off of it. She then turned and gave Naruto a smile.

"Probable about a week or so… why do you ask? You gonna miss me?" she said playfully, getting Naruto to blush.

"Ha! As if! I was only asking so I could know how long I will be able to enjoy my time off from you being back in the village!" Naruto said snobbishly.

Ino growled at this and spun and slung the door open with a bang, making the wall shake. Before she could storm off, Naruto reached out and grasped her hand. Ino turned back with a scowl on her face before noticing the smile Naruto had on his face.

"You know I was kidding, ha-ha!" Naruto said making Ino pout.

"Whatever…" she replied with a roll of her eyes.

There was a break in conversation as Naruto's grip on Ino's hand tightened slightly, making her blush.

"Naruto-Kun… you okay?" she asked, noticing the serious tone Naruto had suddenly gotten.

"You'll be okay, right?" he asked quietly.

"H… huh?" she responded with a squeak.

"You'll be alright on this mission? I mean… you won't get hurt or anything, right?" he asked again, turning his face to the floor to hide his expression.

Ino looked at him with glossy eyes as she filled with happiness, knowing Naruto was going to be worried about her.

'_Naruto-Kun… You…'_

Ino smiled before leaning in and placing a soft peck on his cheek, making Naruto look up with wide eyes and a solid red face. He lifted his hand to touch the spot she kissed.

"I'll be fine, Naruto-Kun… thank you for caring." she said sweetly before turning and walking out into the night air. "Also, thank you for dinner… it was lovely."

Naruto watched her take a few steps out the door before he could find the right gears to call out to her.

"H… hey! Ino! Before you go…" he yelled but slowly let his voice grow softer as he spoke.

Ino turned with a smile, watching Naruto fidget in his doorway, not wanting to make eye contact with her.

"I never answered your question… of who the girl was."

Ino looked back with a more intrigued look, waiting for Naruto's answer. She watched him play with his hair and look in every direction to avoid her own gaze.

"She... She's um…" He paused. "She's the coolest person I think I've ever met and I would be honored if she would join me for dinner after she gets home from her mission!"

Ino could only stand and stare as she slowly began to understand what Naruto was saying. Her face grew warm and her hands clammy. Both of them just stood like stones, staring at one another.

"That is, if she even likes me to begin with! I'm not very good with these things, and I honestly don't even truly understand how I feel right now… but all I do know is it sucks when I'm not around her. I want to get to really know her… and see if I can put a name to these feelings…" Naruto blurted out, watching the still dumbstruck Ino.

After his heartfelt slight yelling way of asking Ino out on a date… well he never really did say it was her, but even an idiot could figure out what he was trying to say. She just stood there with the blankest face. Naruto looked at her and the longer she said nothing and held that look of disinterest, the more his chest hurt.

Eventually, a large bright smile spread over Ino's face. She let her eyes soften into the most loving ones Naruto had ever seen in his lifetime. She gave him a playful wink before turning and facing down the road with her back to him.

"Well… I definitely don't know who you're talking about, since you never actually said a name…" she responded playfully.

"But… if I had to guess… I would say she would text you when she got home and that she would expect you to pick her up in front of her house at seven sharp. She would then also say that she expects to be taken to a nice restaurant that's not Ramen-based, and then she would also say to dress nice." She turned to look over her shoulder and smile deeply at him.

"But what would I know, right? I didn't even hear you say the girl's name, he-he," She finished with a wink.

Naruto just stared back with an absolute look of shock before he slowly made the goofiest loving smile Ino had ever seen. It melted her heart slightly.

"Well then, I would tell her it's a date!" Naruto said happily, giving his signature closed eyed fox grin.

Naruto opened his eyes slowly and they stared into each other's eyes before Ino turned her head away and began to walk home in preparation for her mission.

"Good night, Naruto-Kun… see you soon," She whispered.

"Bye, Ino-Chan… be safe," Naruto responded sweetly before closing his door with a creek.

Ino walked home with a casual pace before finally letting her cheeks burst into flame and doing an inner dance for joy. After a moment of skipping and humming to herself happily, she stopped her trek to look up at the moon that was surrounded by bright twinkling starts that seemed to dance alongside her in the night.

She smiled.

"He called me… Ino-Chan."

END CHAPTER !


	13. Chapter 12 Awful, But Sweet

An: (Naruto's hair as will be mentioned in the chapter will be cut shorter to more resemble the hair style he has in Naruto the Last Movie. Ino will also be having an outfit change to her mission gear that I will go over next chapter. I will most likely make another character profile for on my deviant art account…when I stop being lazy. Anyways…I'll go into detail about such things when the time comes. Hope you all enjoy! Also in the Naruto universe the drinking age is 18.)

Chapter 12 Awful, But Sweet

~ 8 Days later – 6:45 AM ~

"Ermmm…" Naruto grunted softly, letting his eyes open to take in the morning sunlight that creaked through the curtains next to his bed.

He blinked slowly, letting his eyes adjust to the light. His head felt heavy and his body stiff. He could still feel the medication that flowed through him, keeping the soreness away from his right half. He laid motionless in his bed, recalling just where he was and why he was here.

He had entered surgery the previous evening to attach the brand new arm that Sakura and Tsunade were able to make for him by some miracle of medical ninjutsu. He wanted to lift his head and look at the new limb he had yet to see himself, but his body was just too heavy to move at the moment.

He sighed roughly and decided to just relax back into his pillow after the third attempt to rock his body forward and up from his current position.

"Naruto-Kun!?" A female voice spoke up next to him; it seemed as though all of Naruto's struggling had alerted his visitor to his now awakened state.

"Huh…?" Naruto mumbled out as he stiffly rotated his head on his pillow and looked towards his left.

His eyes lit up and a groggy smiled immediately spread over his features.

"Ino… Chan… You're back!" he said in a shallow tone, obviously still out of it from all the pain killers and anesthetics still in his system.

Ino smiled and nodded, standing from her chair next to Naruto's bed. She sat down a book she must have been reading onto the small table that was next to her. With careful movements, she leaned forward to stand above Naruto with a wonderfully happy look on her face. She reached forward and brushed the bangs away from his face that were sticking to his skin slightly from the moisture on his forehead.

"How are you feeling, Naruto-Kun? You need anything?" she asked sweetly, patting a small towel on his face to help dry his sweat.

"I'm okay, thank you, but when did you get home, Ino-Chan?" Naruto asked with a calm tone, loving the soft and soothing feeling of the rag Ino rubbed carefully over his face.

"Last night while you were in surgery," Ino informed him, turning away and placing the rag into a bowl next to his bed. "Shizune said you had already been in for about four hours and I would be able to see you in the morning." She spoke softly, not wanting to make Naruto uncomfortable with any loud noises.

"So… I stayed here until you were let out of surgery, which was about three hours ago, and sat and read while I waited for you to wake up." Ino said with a smile.

Naruto listened to her soft tone and it relaxed him, carrying the pain away from his body for a brief moment. His relaxed demeanor fell just as quickly as it came as he realized Ino had just spent the whole night waiting for him with no rest.

He looked her over; Ino was indeed still in her mission gear, some of the fabric of her purple top being torn and muddy. Her back pack was laid in the corner of the room along with some of her kunai pouches. Her hair was tangled with strands of platinum hair sticking out randomly, not nearly as neat as she always wore it.

"Ino-Chan… you look terrible." Naruto grumbled out, making Ino's smile fall.

She glared at Naruto with a small twitch in her eye.

"What was that… Naruto-Kun?" Ino asked in a sinister tone, her knuckles popping loudly as she pressed them in her hands.

Naruto immediately realized his mistake and tried to correct himself quickly before he was put into a much deeper coma then he had ever experienced.

"Wait, wait! What I mean is… you shouldn't have stayed up all night for me!" Naruto said loudly before letting his voice drop to a softened worried state. "You just got home from a mission… you must be exhausted. You need rest."

Ino let her anger drop and gave Naruto a smile, having understood what he had meant but still wanted to tease him.

"I wouldn't have been able to sleep, anyways," she said nonchalantly as she turned and pressed the call nurse button next to the bed.

"Why's that, Ino-Chan?" Naruto asked worriedly, trying his best to sit up. Immediately, Ino pushed him back down, insisting that he rest.

"Because, if I didn't know you were okay… I just wouldn't be able to sleep comfortably," Ino said softly as she still hovered above him, pushing his shoulders down so he would stay in his bed.

Naruto could feel Ino's breath on his face tickling him slightly making him blush. He desperately wanted her to move closer to him… to embrace him like she had done before in the shop. He stared into her eyes and she stared back into his before the sound of the room door sliding open made Ino jump back quickly and away from the bed. Naruto felt robbed.

"Awe, you're awake so early!" Sakura said with a smile as she walked in and slid the door closed behind her. "But what could I expect with you of all people, right?"

Walking over to the bedside, Sakura gave Ino a smile which she returned before both turned their attention to Naruto, who still laid motionlessly in the large white bed.

"How you feeling?" Sakura asked casually as she jotted down some notes onto a clipboard while looking at the monitor next to the bed.

"I'm good, Sakura-Neechan! I'm actually already starting to feel like myself!" Naruto said with a smile.

"Well, that's no surprise," Sakura said with a giggle. "Medications have always worn off on you extraordinarily quick."

Placing her clipboard down onto the table, Sakura reached forward and placed one arm around Naruto's back and her other on his side.

"Can you lean up for me, Naruto?" she asked softly. Naruto was indeed finally able to lean forward into a sitting position with Sakura's help.

Naruto immediately looked over to his right side to finally be able to see his new arm. It looked just like his old one he lost, but he wasn't really able to get a great look at it since it was completely covered in bandages. He made an attempt to move it, but he was only able to get a slight twitch from his fingers.

"How does it feel?" Sakura and Ino asked in unison, both looking at each other briefly before turning back to Naruto.

Naruto made another attempt to move the arm, but again only some slight twitches and spasms.

"I can't move it," he stated in a reserved tone, looking up at Sakura, clearly worried that the surgery had been a failure and he would remain a cripple forever.

"You'll slowly gain full control over it soon. Your nerves and tendons are still a little shot from the surgery, and the new blood and chakra veins are still opening up. On top of all that, the new bone we grew has to connect to your old one. So you'll be able to move it in about a day, but it will still need time to heal just, like a broken arm. Not even Kurama can help you with this one, Naruto," Sakura informed him while she did some small movement and touch tests, making sure it was attached correctly. "Well, not until the chakra starts to flow into it."

"Okay…" Naruto mumbled out. He was glad to hear this was normal, but upset that because of the new chakra veins, he wouldn't receive any extreme healing from his fuzzy friend for a while.

"So there's no problems with the arm?" Ino asked happily from over Sakura's shoulder, watching her play and test the limb carefully.

Sakura stopped her tests abruptly and pulled her hands away from Naruto's arm. He noticed how her brow furrowed after Ino's question and he felt a knot in his stomach starting to form from the look in her eye.

"Well... there is something..." Sakura said cautiously, making Ino and Naruto look back at her in concern.

"What is it…?" Naruto asked, looking from her, to Ino, and lastly to his arm with a growing dread that he might know what was wrong.

Sakura took a moment of silence before she reached forward and began to unwrap the bandages slowly, letting them fall onto the bed.

"After Shishou and I finished the operation… something… happened…" she said in a hushed tone, as if just talking about it was treason as she continued unwrapping.

Naruto watched as the wraps fell, revealing his new arm. The skin color was grey, almost as if it had never been in the sun before. It was completely different from Naruto's natural sun-kissed skin color. He guessed since it was the first Hokage's cells that must be why it was such an odd skin color. The skin itself was smooth and completely void of texture, hair, or wrinkles except for right above Naruto's new elbow, where it connected to what was left of his old arm. There was a thick scar that ran around his limb and the two skin colors molded and meshed together, with stitching and scar tissue holding it all together.

"So what's wrong, Sakura-Neechan?" Naruto asked, still inspecting the arm until Sakura stopped unwrapping just above Naruto's hand.

Sakura took a breath a pulled of the last of the bandages off revealing Naruto's hand.

"Look for yourself," she said in a bitter tone, stepping back to allow Naruto to lean forward and Ino to step closer past her pink-haired friend.

As both pairs of blue eyes looked upon Naruto's hand, they each felt a churn in their stomachs as they noticed the white circle mark that laid upon the palm.

"The Sun Mark returned…" Ino said worriedly as she looked up to Naruto with shaky, fearful eyes.

Naruto glared at the mark and swallowed a dry gulp. He tried his best to close his fist but was only able to muster a few slight movements from his fingers.

"Kurama told me the mark was not gone… but I still never thought it would return on my new arm…" he said hollowly.

"Well… it's back," Ino said in a concerned whisper before turning to Sakura. "Should we seal it…? If that things goes off again, Naru-"

"NO!" Naruto said suddenly and quite loudly, interrupting Ino.

Ino flinched at the volume in his voice and gave him a shaky gaze. Naruto glared down at his palm before he reached forward and grabbed the bandages Sakura had pulled off, rewrapping it himself.

"I need to control this… not run from it," Naruto said sternly as he finished wrapping his arm up to his shoulder. "I can't do that if it's sealed…. Even if it kills me one of these days… I'll try my best to learn how to control this… 'Gift' from that old Sage bastard."

Ino and Sakura looked at him with worry, knowing he was right in his methods, but uncomfortable with that kind of disaster still capable of happening. There was a silence in the room after that before Naruto turned back to his female guests with a smile to replace his scowl and glare.

"Sakura-Neechan?" he asked out sweetly, trying to swing back to a calmer mood. "When may I leave?"

Sakura sighed, knowing damn well at some point Naruto was going to ask _that_ question.

"Well, with any normal person after such a surgery, I would say they would need to rest for about two days before being allowed to leave. But since it's you, and you're not anywhere near a normal person…" Sakura said, tapping her mouth with her finger, earning a frown from Naruto by her comment.

"I'd say you will be able to head out around noon," she finished with a smile, watching as Naruto's face it up.

"Really!? Hell yeah!" Naruto exclaimed as he fist pumped the air.

He quickly turned to Ino who was standing next to Sakura, looking at him with a warm smile.

"Ino-Chan, go home and get some rest! I'll be over later tonight to pick you up!" Naruto said excitedly as he practically bounced in his bed.

Ino's eyes slowly widened while a strong pink blush engulfed her warm cheeks. She could see how out of the corner of her eye Sakura had turned and given her a cheeky grin with narrowed eyes, daring her to answer to what Naruto had just said.

"What does he mean, Ino-CHAN?" Sakura asked with a sly grin, putting a deep emphasis on the "Chan" given to her.

Ino gave a quick glance to Sakura, who was still leaning ever more forward closing the distance between them. Ino stuttered back a few steps to escape Sakura's closing glare.

'_N… Naruto-Kun, You dumb ass!' _Ino thought bitterly as she glanced between the prying Sakura and the oblivious grinning Naruto.

"He's…. he's coming to pick me up to escort me to a clan meeting!" Ino blurted out quickly going with the first thing that popped in her head that sounded half-decent.

Sakura raised her brow and turned to Naruto, who also had his brow raised and was looking at Ino as if she was speaking another language. As blue orbs connected with blue orbs, Ino glared at Naruto, trying her best to convey the hidden message behind her gaze.

'_Not another word, you fucking idiot!'_

But unfortunately for Ino… this was Naruto she was talking to.

"Ino-Chan, what the hell are you talking about? I was saying how I was going to pick you up for our date you said you would go on!" Naruto said with another large grin and a slight blush brushing his features.

Ino physically face palmed as Sakura immediately turned back to Ino with a deep prying glint in her eye, wanting to know more about their new blossoming relationship.

"Care to try again, Ino-CHAN?" Sakura asked in a mockingly sweet tone. "Hehe!"

Ino scrambled back even further as her face continued to get redder and redder.

"I…I… I… I got to go!" Ino hollered loudly with an embarrassed scream.

With a grand flourish, she grabbed her belongings, yanked the medical room door open and dashed down the hall and out of the hospital in a blond and purple blur. Sakura only stood there with a sweat-drop on her head, not really ever thinking Ino would panic and just up and dip.

'_What an idiot…' _Sakura thought with a roll of her eyes.

Sakura turned her attention back to Naruto, who held a wide-eyed confused look on his face, not at all understanding what it was that just happened.

"So…did she run away because she didn't want to go on our date?" Naruto asked in a bland and confused tone, trying to hide his hurt feelings.

Sakura smiled and shook her head, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"No, Naruto-'KUN'… I think it's quite the opposite, heehee!" she said happily, trying to tease the young man but only having it fly far over his head per usual.

"… Okay then…" he replied with an even more confused look plastered on his face.

'_Shikamaru is right… Women are stupid…'_

\- 15 Minutes Later - Yamanaka House Hold -

"Stupid Naruto! …Stupid Naruto! ...Stupid Naruto!" Ino yelled loudly as she approached the front door to her large home, ignoring the worried looks passersby gave her on her heated trek.

With an angry yank, Ino pulled the door open and slammed it loudly behind her as she stepped inside, heatedly letting all of her Ninja tools and belongings fall onto the floor next to the door and letting her travel pack roll off of her shoulders lazily. She huffed and flicked her sandals off and onto the floor before she made her way through the home.

'_Stupid Naruto! He can't just go yelling shit like that in front of Sakura and who knows else while I was away! They'll start spreading rumors and shit! It's none of their damn business who I or he dates!' _Ino thought with a growl as she stomped her feet up the stairs and into her bedroom before pushing her door to her bathroom open loudly, slamming it into the wall and making her towel rack shake. _'Now Sakura is gonna open her big ass mouth and all the girls in the village are gonna swarm Naruto-Kun, knowing he's in threat of being taken of the market!'_

Ino continued to grumble curse words under her breath as she turned on her shower, allowing it to heat up as she undressed herself. With every article of clothing she removed she threw angrily at the basket that was sitting in the corner of the small rectangular bathroom.

'_Sigh… That idiot's giving me stress, and I'm not even his girlfriend!' _She thought with a sigh, pulling back the curtains and stepping into the warm shower she so desperately needed. _'But now I at least have the chance… to become his…' _

She let the warmth wash away her worries for now, knowing as soon as she got out of her relaxing down time… she would once again be stressed, but not because of her wanting to strangle Naruto, but rather… her new need to impress him.

-Hours later-

"No… Nope… nah… Ughhh! For fuck's sake, is there anything to wear in this fucking house!?" Ino yelled at the top of her lungs as yet another top flew over her shoulder and onto the colossal pile of clothing that reached up high next to her bed and covering the entirety of her floor.

"_Ugh! I've been at this for hours! There has got to be something in this closet that will look amazing for Naruto-Kun!'_ Ino thought desperately as she continued to go through article after article of clothing.

She went through boxes, cases, drawers… anything that might hold a piece of clothing she owned. She must have gone through everything she owned at least five times. But she could never find anything that screamed… Ino. She had already done up her hair and luckily, the hour and a half she spent on her makeup wasn't a waste, as it turned out perfectly! If she could say so… based on her look so far… she was an easy 11! But all that needed to be done now was find what to wear, which was going…

"AHHH! This is going fucking terribly!" Ino yelled once again, throwing an empty shoe box onto her floor with all of her strength. A heated twitch of her brow and the look of an caged animal in her eyes showed that if she didn't find anything soon, then gods have mercy on the next person's soul who walked through her bedroom door.

After huffing and panting, Ino slid down to her knees and buried her face into her hands, not even realizing how lucky she was that her makeup was smear proof.

"I… is something wrong, sweetie?" Ezra asked with a concerned tone and shocked look at seeing the piles of clothes that lined her daughter's floor.

Ino spread her fingers just far enough to allow her to see Ezra poking her head around the corner, clearly home from work for the night. Slamming her fingers shut around her face once more, Ino turned her head towards the floor and continued to stay quite from fear of screaming bloody murder if she tried to speak about her dilemma.

"Oh, come now, sweetie, it's okay! What's bothering you?" Ezra asked once more, weaving her way into the room, trying to not step on pieces of clothing before kneeling down in front of Ino's balled up form on the floor, noticing how she was only wearing a large white shirt and a pair of black panties.

With Ino's continued silence, Ezra was able to also notice how Ino's hair was down from its usual pony tail, and if she had to guess, her daughter's makeup was done up as well behind her closed hands. She smiled as she scanned the room one last time before looking once again at Ino, who still covered her flustered face.

"Going somewhere tonight?" Ezra asked in a soft tone, which Ino only nodded to slightly while keeping her hands over her face. "And you can't find anything nice to where to impress a certain someone, huh?" earning another nod.

"Uh-huh..." Ezra said with a smile, knowing who the person was and also wanting to tease the flustered girl in front of her. "So… when is Naruto-San picking you up, then?"

"Seven…" Ino whispered out in reflex before realizing what her mother just said, making Ino pull her face from her hands with a wide eyed blush on her face.

"Y… you know?" Ino asked the smiling Ezra with a baffled expression.

Ezra simply stood up from her seated position and began to walk around, picking up discarded clothes.

"I know a lot of things, sweetie," Ezra said casually as her motherly instincts kicked in and began to mindlessly fold the cloths around her and stack them neatly onto the bed. "I also know that you're putting way to much thought into this and you should go with what feels comfortable."

Ino scowled at her mother's words and stood up quickly with her balled fists at her side.

"It's not that simple, Mom!" Ino hollered back, picking up a pair of jeans off of the floor and throwing them against the wall beside her with distaste. "I have to look amazing! If I wear something dumb, then Naruto-Kun will think I'm an ugly bimbo!"

Ezra only rolled her eyes and continued to fold clothes, knowing her daughter was simply overreacting like she normally did when upset.

"So you're telling me Naruto-San is shallow and is only going on a date with you for your sense of fashion and looks?" Ezra asked with a knowing raised brow, seeing Ino's face drop slightly and turn away with a grumble.

"N…No! Naruto doesn't care about that kind of stuff!" Ino retorted, defending her crush. "He's super sweet and caring! His and my personalities blend well!"

"Then you just answered the question to your own problem, baby…" Ezra said calmly, still focusing on the folding more than the conversation.

Ino raised her brow and let her scowl drop from her face, her hands now relaxed from their previous aggressive fists.

"Huh?"

Ezra put down another shirt onto the pile and walked over to her daughter, placing her hands on each of Ino's shoulders and looking her lovingly in the eyes in a way only a mother could.

"Naruto-San will not care if you look amazing or if you look terrible. He's a kind hearted young man who cares about people's inner beauty more than their outer, honey." Ino looked back with a calm face as she listened to her mother's wisdom. "So wear whatever you want to! I promise, Naruto-San will be more than happy. After all, he's going out tonight with a lovely young woman… not an outfit."

The last little joke got a soft giggle from Ino, who stepped forward and pulled her mother into a tight hug. With both women being roughly the same height, Ezra gave her daughter a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Now hurry up and put something on! It's already 6:48… He will be here soon!" Ezra said with a wink stepping away from Ino and walking to the door.

"Mom!" Ino called out, earning a look over the shoulder. "Thank you… and I love you."

Ezra smiled and tuned the corner to exit Ino's room.

-A few minutes later-

*Ding Dong!*

The doorbell chimed throughout the home, making Ezra flinch slightly away from the magazine she was reading on the couch in the living room. She smiled and rolled herself to her feet, making her way down the hardwood-floored hall to the front door. With a quick glance through the peep hole her smiled grew even wider, and she turned the bolt and pulled open the large slab.

"G… g… good evening, Mrs. Yamanaka!" a sheepish looking Naruto said with a quiver as he stood like a statue in front of the doorway.

Ezra smiled and greeted him back as she took in the young man's attitude and dress for the evening.

Naruto was wearing a pair of knee-length black cargo shorts and a red, short-sleeved shirt with the only distinguishable marking being an Anbu swirl on the right sleeve of the shirt. His right arm was in a blue medical sling as to hold the arm very still, given his little control over it. He had on his black ninja sandals that went half way ups his calves. His hair was actually cut shorter then how he usually wore it, showing he had went to a barber before arriving. She then noticed how squeamish he looked just standing there and having her stare at him so calculatingly.

"You look very handsome tonight, Naruto-San." Naruto weakly smiled at the compliment and turned his eyes to the floor embarrassingly. "Please, come in."

Obliging to the request, Naruto quickly walked past Ezra into the hall way. Closing the door behind him, Ezra walked back towards the living room and motioned for him to follow her into the home. Naruto simply continued to be as stiff as a board and followed with little response.

"Sweetie! Naruto-San is here!" Ezra called up the stairs.

'_Deep breaths… deeeep breaths.' _Naruto thought nervously as hetook the seat on the couch he was just offered by Mrs. Yamanaka after she yelled for her daughter. Putting up a goofy uncomfortable smile, he tried to look as if he wasn't freaking out.

Taking the love seat on the opposite side of the couch, Ezra only smiled and thought about letting the poor boy squirm a little longer before trying to calm his nerves, but decided against it. He obviously would soon hyperventilate or something else if she didn't say something to him soon.

"Ino will be down soon, but in the mean time you should probably breathe," Ezra said calmly seeing as Naruto was beginning to turn three shades of purple.

*GASP!*

Naruto took in a large breath realizing in fact he had not taken a breath since entering the home.

'_Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!'_ Naruto thought angrily at himself at being dumb enough to forget to breathe as he continued to try and catch his breath.

Ezra simply smiled sweetly, letting a soft giggle escape her lips.

"Is this your first date, Naruto-San?" She asked getting a robotic nod from Naruto.

"Y…yes ma'am! I've never really done anything like this before…" Naruto informed in a weak voice, rubbing the back of his head.

"I see! Well, please be more calm, Naruto-San… I don't bite," she joked, earning a more relaxed smile from Naruto.

"O… okay!" Naruto replied, actually feeling himself beginning to relax. Ezra had the amazing motherly quality where if she wanted someone to be calm and comfortable, she could make it happen. Even if she was simply talking to the man.

"So, where will you two be going this evening?" Ezra asked, receiving a slight open-mouthed pause from Naruto.

"I…"

But before he could answer, his eyes drifted to the staircase behind Ezra's chair. His face seemed to flush immediately and he rocketed to his feet from the couch.

"Hey… Naruto-Kun," Ino said sweetly from the top of the stairs as she slowly made her slow walk to the bottom.

Naruto had a look of wonder on his face. His eyes shined and his mouth was just slightly agape. The pink to his cheeks was unmistakable on his tan complexion. He looked like he was looking at the most amazing thing he had ever seen in his lifetime. Ezra loved it.

'_Wow…' _

Naruto blankly continued to watch Ino make her way down the stairs. As she reached the bottom, Ino turned and did a little twirl on her left foot, letting Naruto get a full look at her.

"Well…What do you think Naruto-kun?" She asked in a confident yet still skeptical tone.

Ino wore a tight, curve-hugging, strapless white dress that cut off just at the middle of her thighs. The black and white heels that put her just below Naruto's height matched well. Her hair was down from the ponytail she usually wore, the white-gold strands stopping on her lower back. The purple she chose to highlight her eyes made them pop and had Naruto melting into the floor. She was stunning.

"Wow…" Naruto simple remarked with a dumbfounded look, copying what he'd thought the first time.

Ino loved the response and did another twirl in the opposite direction one last time.

"Yeah, I clean up well, don't I?" Ino asked cheekily, loving the attention she was getting.

She stepped forward and ran her hand through the awe stricken man's hair playfully, making him blush deeper and snap out of his trancelike state.

"I like the new hair," Ino said with a smile.

"Oh! Uh… th… thank you Ino-Chan…" Naruto said shakily, rubbing the back of his head with his eyes on the floor. "You look amazing… as usual…"

Ino smiled her biggest in a long time and her cheeks tinted pink. Lacing her arm around Naruto's left and being careful as to not bump the sling, Ino leaned on him with a large smile on her face.

"Shall we go?" she asked lovingly, enjoying the intoxicating aroma of Naruto's cologne.

Naruto nodded while looking at her sweetly, but before he could even start walking to the door a bright flash blinded the couple.

"Ah! What the hell, Mom!?" Ino asked angrily, rubbing her eyes while Naruto tried to blink the light spots in his eyes away.

Ezra lowered the camera away from her face and smiled apologetically with a sweat-drop.

"Sorry, sweetie! I just really wanted a picture!" she explained with a sorry giggle. "You two look so cute!"

Ino rolled her eyes and yanked Naruto down the hall to the door, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible before her mother tried to do something even dumber to embarrass her. As she pulled the door open and stepped out into the night air, Ezra called out one last time as she trotted down the hall towards the door quickly.

"Wait! Before you go, I need to speak with Naruto-San one last time!" Naruto and Ino turned and waited for her to reach them.

With a large smile plastered on her face, Ezra leaned in from the door way and gave a wink.

"Now remember Naruto-San, my daughter is not your sex slave for the evening! But even if you two do decide to bump nasties, have her back by 11!" Ezra said with the sweetest tone ever before pulling the door closed, leaving the wide-eyed, red-faced, slack-jawed Ino and Naruto staring at a now closed door.

Ezra walked with an accomplished grin on her face back to the living room, entirely happy with herself.

'_That little jab was for you, honey!' _Ezra thought happily with an image of her recently passed husband in her mind.

'_Mother…I'm going to murder you…'_ Ino thought blankly, being the first to recover from the shock of what they had just heard.

"S… Sorry, Naruto-Kun! That was so inappropriate! Just ignore my idiotic mother!" Ino pleaded with a sweat-drop, trying to break the young man from his stone faced gaze at the door.

With a slow turn of his head towards Ino, Naruto looked at her with a calm look on his face with a slight twinkle of what seemed like opportunity in his eye.

"Your mom's the coolest…" Naruto replied blankly with a growing blush, earning a wide-eyed red face from Ino.

_*WHAM!*_

"NOT A CHANCE, PERVERT!"

-20 Minutes later Konoha village streets-

The weekend crowd was definitely buzzing in Konoha this evening as young couples and villagers walked through the crowded streets enjoying the warm weather. Road lanterns and flashing neon signs of shops and vendors made it a spectacle to the eye as they made their way through the village. The sky was beautifully clear, stars peering their way out of the darkness. All different types of soft music played through the streets from restaurants and stores alike. The potent aroma of food caught the senses, making even the weariest of travelers stop and stay awhile. The night was calm and full of life… that is, until a loud whine from a blonde man following behind by yet another heated blonde broke the mood.

"Oh come on, Ino-Chan! I already said a thousand times already I was sorry," Naruto whined loudly with a pout on his lips as he tried to cheer up the still put-off woman walking in front of him.

With only a slight glare out of the corner of her eye, Ino huffed in disgust with her nose to the night sky above.

"You'd better be, or next time I'll do much worse then leave a bump on your head!" Ino responded heatedly, crossing arms with a glare in her eye, making the apologetic young man squirm under her tone.

"Y… yes, ma'am!" Naruto responded with a flinch watching the irritated woman stomp down the path as he tried to keep up.

Ino finally came to a halt with a huff, allowing Naruto to catch back up to her. She kept her eyes to the path ahead, watching the villagers walk by with smiles and laughter. She slowly turned back to look at the nervous Naruto with a glare, who only stood and stared obliviously, trying to think of something to say.

"So… where are we going, Naruto-Kun?" Ino asked more sweetly, deciding she would let the pervert event pass for now to give herself a chance to enjoy the evening.

Naruto stood with a blank expression for a moment before he smiled with a grin and passed by Ino, motioning for her to walk with him to dinner. Ino walked by the knucklehead with a soft smile on her face as they moved slowly through the crowded streets. She would occasionally look up at the man as she saw how happy yet unknowingly flustered he was. It made her smile even larger seeing him actually try and make the night lovely. She wanted to intertwine her fingers with his… but she would let him set the pace with how things went. It was his night to impress her, after all.

'_Speaking of impressing…'_ Ino thought with a narrowed eye.

"Naruto-Kun?" Ino called out with a sweet tone, earning the gaze of her date and a smile.

"Where are we going to dinner?" she asked with fluttering eyes, hoping the information wasn't a surprise or a secret.

Naruto raised his brow for a second before looking back to the path with a smirk.

"How does that fancy restaurant uptown with the fish that swim in the glass floor sound?" Naruto asked cheekily with a tap of his lip, watching from the corner of his eye as Ino's posture lit up with shock.

"You're taking me to the Golden Swordfish!?" Ino responded with loud surprise, getting a few villagers to look at her in shock as they walked by.

Seeing Naruto's smirk grow to a foxy grin, Ino could barely tame her excitement.

"Wow, Naruto! That's one of the most expensive and exclusive restaurants in all of the land of fire! How in the hell did you get a reservation there!?" Ino asked with an intrigued excitedness as she wanted to cling onto the man next to her and kiss him for the soon-to-be experience. "I hear there's a waiting list over a year long to get in that place!"

Her feelings of excitement and joy came to abrupt halt as Naruto's trek down the crowded village streets came to a pinpoint stop. She looked back up to him with a raised brow, seeing the blank raised eyebrow look he sent back at her.

"What the hell's a reservation?" Naruto asked blankly, earning a wide-eyed and dumbfounded stare from Ino before her palm smacked against her face.

"How the hell do you not know what a reservation is, idiot!?" Ino asked angrily with her shoulders arched and fists clenched. "You expected to just walk up to a restaurant on a Friday night and get a table!? Not to mention the most exclusive restaurant in the entire village!?"

Ino's yelling made Naruto flinch back a step as even his hair shook from the volume in her voice. He had no idea what she was screaming about, but he figured out of the two times he had spoken to the woman so far on the date… he wasn't doing too well.

'_I really do suck at this, don't I?' _Naruto asked himself looking into the angry eyes of Ino, who was standing silent now and waiting for his answer.

"I just figured I would take you somewhere nice that was to your level of class…" Naruto responded in the quite childlike tone of a 5 year old trying to explain himself to his mother. "I never meant to upset you, Ino-Chan…"

Ino blinked a few times to calm herself before closing her eyes and sighing heavily. Letting her arms fall back to her sides, she simply motioned over her shoulder for the man to follow her, which he intelligently did.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and kept pace with her through the crowd. He could plainly see now she had some sort of goal in her eyes.

"So where are we going if we won't be able to get in anywhere?" Naruto asked cautiously, not wanting to make his date even more upset with him.

"Were going to the Golden Swordfish," Ino informed him, getting another confused look.

"But… I thought you just said-" Naruto questioned before being interrupted.

"Yes, normally it would be impossible for us to get in anywhere tonight without a reservation… But!" Ino said with a finger in the air, pausing for dramatic effect.

"Buuuuut?" Naruto asked, leaning in as they walked as if what she was about to say was a secret.

A coy smile graced Ino's lips as she turned and winked at Naruto.

"But my date's the Hero of the Five Nations!" she said with a giggle, stopping and looking up at a large golden swordfish sign that was placed above a large, nicely decorated building.

"Uh… So?" Naruto replied, not getting at all how this was going to get them into the place for dinner.

He stopped next to Ino and saw that they were standing in front of the restaurant. He looked back at her with a furrow of his brow as she walked away from him to the front sliding glass doors of the building.

"Just watch and learn, Naruto-Kun…" Ino said with a smile over her shoulder as he followed. "Watch and learn."

Naruto and Ino walked past the sliding doors and up to the hostess. They stopped in front of the large black podium, waiting for their presence to be acknowledged. Eventually, the woman behind the podium looked up from her scribbles to see a sly smiling blonde female and a confused looking and slightly nervous young man.

"May I help you two?" the woman asked with a tone of confusion as to why the man looked lost.

"We, uh-" Naruto started before being interrupted once again by his loud companion.

"We would like a table for two, please! A patio table would be preferred, if it's available!" Ino said with a sweet tone, her hands clasped together and eyes closed so her smile could be as large and sweet as possible.

The woman calmly looked from Naruto to Ino and back before narrowing her eyes.

"Do you have a reservation?" the hostess asked blankly, not letting her tone rise nor fall from monotone.

Naruto felt put off from the "holier than thou" attitude the middle-aged woman was giving off. He hated when someone acted in such a way to him. Growing up on his own for so long and having to live in the poorer side of town in his early years, he had learned to despise anyone who felt they were better than him simply because of money or class. He glared at the woman who calmly ignored his gaze as Ino continued to speak to her.

"Yes! It should be Under Uzumaki… Naruto Uzumaki," Ino said with a smirk as the woman's eyes widened at hearing the name. "It could also be under Great Hero, Blazing Angel of Konoha, or even Orange Maelstrom. You know, sometimes, we just like to screw around with our reservation names, heehee!"

The woman's mood became more and more nervous as Ino riddled off nicknames that Naruto had been given through his years. Now knowing who the angry looking man was in front of her she was definitely not going to do anything to screw up the night of the great Uzumaki Naruto!

The woman immediately went to looking for any of the names Ino had mentioned in her reservation book quickly, never noticing the accomplished look that Ino held on her face. After a moment though, the woman turned back with a gulp and frown.

"I… I'm sorry Uzuamki-Sama, but… I… I can't find your name anywhere in my book." This earned a "well, of course" look from Naruto, but a fake angry glare from Ino.

"Whaaaat?!" Ino protested in a loud fake anger that made the hostess flinch. "How dare you not have our reservation scheduled!? My boyfriend and I made it over a year ago!"

Naruto could only stand back with an expression of confusion and embarrassment at hearing Ino refer to him as her boyfriend. Although, he had the feeling it was just so whatever the hell was she was doing would work even better.

"I hope you expect to still seat us! Because if Naruto Uzumaki walks out of here after a year wait because someone made the mistake of forgetting to write down his great name into your book, everyone in the Five Nations will hear of it!" Ino paused to see the fear in the hostess eyes before she finished with a comedic dark tone. "You'll be finished, kaput, done!"

At this, the hostess scrambled for the things needed for the table and gulped back a dry breath after gathering the materials.

"P… p… please follow me!" she said in a shaky, fearful voice as she led the couple through the restaurant.

As Naruto walked behind Ino and the hostess in a line past tables heading further into the large restaurant, he slowly came to realize what it was that had just happened. A large smile came over his face, watching Ino look back at him with a winning expression and a wink.

"You sly dog!" Naruto said quietly, getting Ino to smile even wider and she placed a finger over her lips, showing not to say anything that would ruin her little fake tantrum.

'_Well, one thing I'll need to keep in mind if Ino and I do become an item… is that Ino always gets what she wants," _Naruto thought with a smirk as he pulled out the chair for Ino to sit down, earning a smile from her before he took his own. _ 'But... I don't think I'd have it any other way.'_

Having taken their seats, Ino and Naruto enjoyed the scenery of the patio table they sat at. There were on a wooden balcony that held only a few tables. Each table was covered in a long white table cloth that reach the floor and was topped with a nice, formal candle that was lit in the center. There was an assortment of lanterns and lights that hung down in streams from the wooden over hanging roof above the tables. The floor was a beautiful brick that seemed to glow with the lights of the restaurant, keeping a warm mood in the air. The soft music that lofted through the night from the restaurant was calming, and just the right touch for a romantic mood. The night sky was still clear and calm, making it the perfect night for an outdoor meal.

Ino watched Naruto look around with a smile, enjoying the atmosphere of the location. He looked as if he had never been to such a fancy restaurant before, and maybe even felt he was underdressed. She kept staring at him, just enjoying his presence up until he turned back to look at her happily. Ino only gave him a wink and giggle before she lifted her menu in front of her, blocking her face from his view. Shaking his head at how playful Ino was when she wanted to be, Naruto also began to go over the menu, looking to see if they had a seafood ramen or something for him to enjoy.

They didn't.

"Welcome to the Golden Swordfish!" a happy and well-mannered young woman announced, pulling the blonde duo from their reading. "My Name is Anna and I'll be your server for this evening!"

"May I start you off with our specials this evening?" she asked politely as she filled the two glasses on the table with water for them to enjoy.

"Yes, please," Ino responded, smiling to the woman politely.

"Okay! We have a grilled sea bass that is drizzled with garlic and lemon, served with diced peppers that are imported and peeled fresh every day. We also have only for tonight seared scallops with a jalapeño vinaigrette, served over a bed of pasta and a side of alfredo sauce," Anna informed happily. A large, wide-eyed happy look from Ino and a disinterested scowl from Naruto made her have to fight back the need to giggle.

"Ohhh! I'd love the scallops! I'll be having that!" Ino excitedly ordered while she tried to hide the fact she was salivating at just the thought of how delicious it was going to be.

Anna smiled and jotted down the request before looking back up towards Naruto, who was currently looking over the menu with a frustrated pout.

'_They sure don't give you a lot of time to browse, do they?' _Naruto thought with a huff.

"I, uh… I guess just get me the grilled tuna with pasta," Naruto said, not quite happy they didn't have anything that could be substituted for his beloved ramen and trying to hide the fact he had just noticed how freaking high the prices were.

'_Ugh... this is for her… not you," _Naruto thought bitterly, knowing this meal alone was going to cost him an entire D-rank mission's worth of pay.

With a smile and a nod, Anna politely took the menus from the couple before pulling out another from her apron.

"Lastly, would you two like a glass of wine with your meals this evening?" she asked, placing a small beverage menu in front of them.

Ino cringed at the thought of drinking that bitter drink again, but she didn't want to be rude to Naruto. She would definitely not drink it if he said yes, though.

Picking up the list, Naruto browsed through it briefly before smiling, finding something he thought Ino would like, knowing she was not a fan of the wine he gave her last week.

"No, I think we will pass on the wine… But we would love to try a glass of your Krug Clos d'Ambonnay," he said with a smile earning an excited nod from Anna.

"Great choice, sir!" she said as she jotted the order down. "Alright, well I hope you two enjoy your evening, and I'll be back soon to check on you!"

Watching Anna walk away from the table, Ino scowled at hearing what Naruto just ordered for them. She hadn't been a fan of the last alcoholic drink he had given her, so she was expecting to have the same reaction to whatever it was he just ordered.

"What's a Krug Clos d'Ambonnay?" Ino asked dryly, trying to pronounce the drink as Naruto just had. With a new curiosity she lifted the beverage menu from the table to try and locate it on the list.

"It's a type of champagne," Naruto replied casually while looking out past the walls of the patio and watching people walk through the streets. "It's different from wine. I think you'll enjoy it."

Ino scrunched her eyes while listening to Naruto. She was still scanning the list, trying to find what he had requested. She reached out to lift her newly poured glass of water to her lips as she read, taking a nice gulp of the cold liquid as she finally found the champagne Naruto had order.

Reading over the price, she nearly choked on her drink and spit it out violently over the table.

She was able to gulp it down before doing so, though. Ino stared at the price with wide eyes before turning to look up at the smiling Naruto who was looking away.

"24,000 Yen per glass!?" Ino blurted out in a flabbergasted surprise, tearing Naruto's attention away from the village streets. "Naruto-Kun, there's no way I can let you pay for this!" (1)

Naruto only smiled briefly before raising his brow jokingly with a faked panic.

"Wait… I thought you were paying for dinner, Ino-Chan?" Naruto asked in a joking worry. Ino's eyes grew wide with an unreadable emotion before Naruto laughed slightly. "Haha… Nah, I'm just kidding! It's no big deal, Ino-Chan; this night is supposed to be special."

Ino simply pouted, placing the list back onto the table. She mumbled something under her breath about prices before looking off towards the streets just as Naruto had been doing.

Naruto ran his gaze over Ino's face, taking in her beauty just as he had done at her home. She was absolutely glowing tonight, and just looking at her made his cheeks burn. He couldn't tell what it was about her tonight that was so amazing. She was beautiful all the time… but tonight there was something different. Then he finally realized it.

"Y… your hair…" Naruto whispered, just loud enough for Ino to catch and turn towards his gaze. "Your hair is down…"

Ino looked surprised for a moment, blushing at having Naruto notice her in a specific way. She reached back and pulled her hair over her shoulder, running her fingers through it nervously.

"Ya… I didn't feel like putting it up tonight, so I left it down after my shower," she explained with a smile. "Do you like it?"

Naruto's awed blush grew into a wide smile.

"I love it, Ino-Chan…" Naruto said politely as both blondes' shyness grew tenfold.

Naruto immediately turned his attention away, trying to hide his flustered state. Ino only smiled and continued to play with her hair. They both knew they were being unnaturally shy for their personalities, but I guess that just comes with the first date jitters.

They continued to sit like this in silence for a while, each trying to get past their nervousness and engage in a conversation.

'_Come on, Naruto! There's got to be something you can come up with to talk about! It isn't that hard!'_ Naruto thought in frustration. He was so nervous, he was drawing a blank.

'_Oh…. what would Naruto-Kun be interested in talking about?' _Ino also thought with frustration at her own nervous quirks. _'Jutsus….? Ramen….? Ugh, I can't think of anything!'_

Neither was able to take the step past their own inner date dilemmas for what felt like an eternity, but just as Naruto was just about to try and come up with something to talk about, their food was suddenly placed in front of them, jolting the couple from their troubled thoughts.

"And here are your glasses!" Anna said cheerfully, placing the two champagne glasses with silvery liquid bubbling inside on the table.

"Thank you!" Naruto and Ino announced together before turning back to each other after Anna's departure.

Ino lifted the glass up, inspecting it carefully with a sense of distrust as Naruto watched her with curiosity. He knew she was skeptical of the alcoholic drink, but she was being childish… it was cute. He reached forward and picked up his own glass before holding out in front of him, gesturing for her to do the same.

"A toast before you try it?" Naruto asked with a wink, having something in mind he had seen his belated sensei pull off on his travels a few years ago.

Ino blinked at his gesture before slowly lifting her own glass to be held in the air just inches from Naruto's.

"But what shall we toast?" she asked with a puzzled look.

He gave her a look of pondering as he twirled his glass in the air, the liquid swirling in a circular motion. He then smiled with a glint in his eye Ino didn't miss.

"Cheers to me," Naruto said calmly, reaching out and tapping his glass against Ino's.

Ino looked a Naruto with bewilderment and raised her brow at the odd toast she had just been a part of. She spoke up before Naruto was able to reach his lips with his glass, stopping his toast.

"Cheers to you? What the hall makes you so special, huh?!" Ino asked with distaste, honestly expecting Naruto to say something romantic for a first that would make her knees quiver… yet she got that.

Naruto simply narrowed his eyes with a sly smile as he once again began to lift his glass to his lips, stopping mere centimeters before his lips touched the cool glass.

"Cheers to me… because I'm the one who has been blessed enough to have been able to spend the night with such a beautiful young woman." He grinned cheekily from behind his glass before tilting it back and taking a sip.

He relished in the awe struck, "moved off of her seat" look Ino was giving back to him. She was only able to stare back with an open mouth and bright red cheeks. Naruto had to fight back his giggles of victory.

'_Ero-Sennin, when I see your old ass again, I'll definitely have to thank you for that little trick!' _he thought with a new smugness.

Ino on the other hand was taken aback by how smooth Naruto was. She had no idea he was going to be able to pull something like that off on her. It was so… formal and dashing…totally not something she'd expect from the loud blonde man. She eventually just smiled and closed her eyes with contempt, feeling the need to quote something Naruto had said just minutes ago.

'_Humph! Looks like you're the sly dog, Naruto-kun, he-he…'_

After Naruto's sip, he placed his own glass down before reaching out to help Ino move her own glass to her lips. With a soft push to help guide the glass to the still flustered woman's mouth, Naruto giggled.

"Hehe, you know champagne is much better when it's cold. So hurry up and try it before it warms up and goes flat!" he said informatively, getting a slow nod from Ino who finally took a sip of the cool beverage.

Pulling the drink away she looked down at it with wide eyes and a happy glisten in her eyes. She once again took another sip before smiling and looking up to Naruto.

"This is so much better than wine!" Ino said excitedly, obviously enjoying the newfound fondness for the high class alcohol.

Naruto simply gave a nod before gesturing towards her meal which Ino honestly had forgotten was placed in front of her.

"Oh, shoot!" Ino exclaimed before placing her glass down and unwinding her silverware from her napkin and placing the cloth on her lap. Naruto watched with a calm endearment to her antics that he noticed she probably didn't know about.

Naruto smiled, watching Ino dig into her meal and moaning with pleasure after her first bite. She took another bite mimicking her actions of the first before noticing the eyes that were on her, causing her to stop.

"Why do you always watch me eat?" she asked with a blush, after swallowing her mouth of food.

"Because you're cute," Naruto responded with no hesitation, resting his chin in his palm relaxingly.

Ino looked surprised at his unhindered response before settling into a smiling fluster that made Naruto giggle.

"W… well knock it off, creeper!" Ino stuttered out, earning a grin from the man across from her. He listened to her plea and began to enjoy his own meal.

For the next half hour or so, the blondes just ate and talked about mindless things. They enjoyed each other's company and it turned out to be a very enjoyable dinner. The conversation seemed to relax them as time wore on. It wasn't as difficult as they first thought it would be once they got past their inner insecurities. Eventually, their meals were finished and their glasses were empty, leaving them to just enjoy the other's presence. Even the art of no words at all can give off the most meaning… and emotion.

Ino turned her attention to the clambering of villagers that were walking down the path laid next to the patio. Her hands were stacked on top of the other on the table top, playing casually with her fingers. She was lost in thought for the moment, but that didn't upset Naruto, who had actually been waiting for her do such a thing all evening.

Smiling nervously to himself, Naruto slowly ran his hand across the table top, slowly inching his way towards Ino's. Making sure she was oblivious to his actions all the while, he eventually made it to her hands. Naruto smoothly and quickly intertwined the fingers of his hand with Ino's, keeping both palms on the table.

Ino immediately looked over to the man with a flushed face, complete surprise in her eyes. She noticed Naruto had a similar color to his cheeks as well. His face was turned to the side and his eyes were scanning the streets nervously, acting as if he had no idea he had done what he had, but his blush was giving it away.

Ino smiled and moved her hand closer to Naruto's, letting their fingers mesh together even further. The warmth was pleasant and her skin was soft, which made Naruto's tint deepen. Ino had a similar thought to his, but more of rough rather than soft feel.

Naruto finally turned his head back to her, catching Ino's gaze with his own. They continued to remain silent with each other, but the calm understanding look of lovingness that glowed in each other's eyes was enough to fill a thousand conversations. Naruto had never seen nor felt such feelings being directed to him. He couldn't describe the pleasure it put in his fragile heart. All he could do was smile.

'_Such a bone head...' _Ino thought with a smile. _'But I wouldn't have it any other way…'_

They continued to stare at each other in silent fondness with their hands still intertwined, enjoying the moment. Suddenly, a small figure approached their peripheral vision at the edge of their table, causing them to jump apart quickly. They both whistled casually in embarrassment.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to kill the mood!" Anna said with a sad pout, watching the two blonde's try and grasp their bearings. "I was just bringing you the check!"

Naruto simply waived it off with a smile, taking the bill book from her happily.

"You're fine, you're fine… I was going to ask for this soon anyway," Naruto explained, trying to think of something to get the frown off the young woman's face.

"Okay! Well, let me know when you are ready to cash out!" Anna said happily before turning on her heel and heading off to another table.

Opening the bill book Naruto scanned over the details before placing the small parcel down for him to reach into his pocket and retrieve his ever faithful Gama-chan. With a pat of his pocket he felt only his key and phone before reaching across his body to pat the other pocket. At inspecting the other side Naruto froze stiff and turned a snow white color, which caught Ino's attention. His eyes were blank as to say he was panicking internally.

"Is there something wrong, Naruto-Kun?" Ino asked dryly, fearing that the bill was more than Naruto could pay.

With a slow blank turn off his head. Naruto stared blankly at Ino with his still wide eyes before he shakily decided to break the news.

"H… hey, Ino-Chan… remember how I joked that you would be paying for dinner?" Naruto choked out with dread all over his demeanor.

Ino only blinked slowly a few times with narrowing eyes.

"Huh?"

~ 10 Minutes Later ~

"How the fuck do you forget your wallet when you're taking someone on a date!?" Ino hollered angrily to the quivering man behind her who followed her stomp through the village streets carefully.

"I said I'm sorry, Ino-Chan!" Naruto responded as he twiddled his fingers together in embarrassment, not realizing how this was becoming a theme for the evening.

Ino continued to march down the path towards her home with arched shoulders and clenched fists. The anger radiating off of the woman could be felt from miles away, causing any person in her line of path to get the hell out of dodge.

"I want every penny repaid to me in full, Uzumaki!" Ino yelled out without turning back, knowing Naruto heard her loud and clear. "Not a cent less!"

"Y… yes ma'am!" Naruto replied childishly, trying his best at the moment to just keep himself from being punched across the village.

With a quick step, Naruto ran in front of Ino without keeping her from breaking pace by backpedaling in front of her. Ino simply rolled her eyes and turned her face away after seeing Naruto try and get her to look at him. If he wanted to try and talk to her and do his best to fix his dumbass mistake then he was more than welcome, but she would not stop her trek towards home for any reason.

"Listen, I know I screwed up, Ino-Chan! And I promise, I will pay you back every cent I owe you! I'll also take you somewhere nice to help you forgive me!" Naruto pleaded, making sure he didn't lose his footing going backwards.

Ino only looked in front of her towards Naruto, giving him a dark glare after mentioning taking her somewhere 'nice'. Naruto noticed with a gulp.

"And I'll actually not fuck up when I do!" Naruto added, making Ino's glare sharpen by just a fraction more.

"And what the fuck makes you think I'll even want to go with you somewhere after tonight!?" Ino responded in a hiss, wanting the remark to leave some kind of impact on the man.

She got what she desired after Naruto's face fell into a look of shame and sadness. He stopped his backpedaling and stepped off to the side to allow the angry woman to pass by as he stood there. He only looked on at her with sad dull eye's as she passed by him. Ino continued to march for a few more steps, not planning on stopping even though Naruto had. She walked for a few more yards before she as well stopped in her tracks in the middle of the village street.

Naruto only looked at her back sadly, waiting for her to turn around and berate him and get even angrier with him, which he felt he did deserve after ruining their date with his many mistakes. He let his eyes fall just slightly so they hid behind the shadows of his short bangs.

After a moment that seemed like an eternity to Naruto, Ino took a deep breath before sighing roughly. With a turn on her heel she crossed her arms and stared down the man who was now locking gazes with her. She furrowed her brow calculatingly.

"I want to hear it…" Ino stated blankly, getting a confused response from Naruto. "I want to hear your true, honest to gods apology, right here and right now… or this is the end of it and the possibility of us."

Naruto only stood solid as he looked back into the calm and calculating blue gaze of the angry Yamanaka. He closed his eyes for a brief moment to think properly before reopening and looking back with a look of shamefulness.

"I'm sorry I ruined our first date…" Naruto began with a bowed head and blank tone.

"And?" Ino responded with continued disinterest.

"I'm sorry I'm such an idiot…"

"And?"

"I'm sorry I didn't take the proper steps to make sure the night went correctly…"

"And?"

"I'm sorry this night wasn't at all easy going and stress free…"

"And?"

"And…. if given the opportunity, I promise to make sure our next date… if there ever is one… will be absolutely perfect!" Naruto finished with a clenched fist and a new confident look to replace his sorrowful one.

Ino, calm and still reserved in emotion, stared back at Naruto. She smoothly let her arms unfold from over her chest as she walked her way back to Naruto, who didn't dare break his eyes from hers. Once reaching him, Ino clasped her hand around Naruto's, turned on here heel, and without breaking stride, made her way home once again. Naruto walked or more liked dragged behind Ino with wide eyes and a confusion written all over his face.

Turning to look over her shoulder with a sweet smile, Ino winked.

"That's all I wanted, Naruto-Kun!" Ino said happily but unsuccessful in changing Naruto's confused mood. "I knew this date was going to be a tossup of good and bad, but I had no idea it would be this bad!"

Naruto frowned at this with drooping eyes, not liking at all how she kept jabbing him with her words.

"That's why I already decided before I even left with you I would forgive you of any mistakes as long as you apologized genuinely and promised to do better next time!" Ino explained happily, still dragging Naruto behind her.

Naruto blinked at hearing this before jumping his attention to something she specifically said.

"Wait… Promised to do better next time…" Naruto's eyes glistened with hope. "Does that mean you're…?"

"Yes Naruto-Kun… I'll go out with you again," Ino stated happily, giving him a look over her shoulder.

Naruto wanted to stop right there and do a dance for joy! Sure he had screwed up again and again and again so far, but he had accomplished the mission he had put in the back of his mind before picking her up… that he would somehow get another date with the lovely Yamanaka Ino. Naruto decided since he couldn't dance happily he would at least stop dragging his feet and actually walk next to the woman.

Walking next to her Naruto intertwined his finger with Ino's, earning a soft smile from the platinum blonde. He looked at her with a bright smile as they were closely reaching her home. He then realized something that made him blush massively.

"Wait…" Naruto said suddenly, getting Ino to stop smiling and turn to look up at him. "If we're going on another date after this… then that means we're… we're…"

"Dating?" Ino finished with a grin, which only increased Naruto's. "Yes, Naruto-Kun, I guess we are now officially dating."

Naruto had a twinkle in his eye as he already knew what the next question he was going to ask. Yet before he could even get it out, Ino jumped right in to kill it instantly.

"But no I am not your girlfriend," she said blankly with a wagging finger in the air to show her point.

Naruto deflated physically at hearing this.

"Oh… okay." Naruto said in a down tone, his shoulders hanging loosely with disappointment.

"I'm sorry, Naruto-Kun, but I'm still waiting to see something from you before I do say that I'm your girlfriend," Ino stated, grabbing Naruto's interest.

"Oh… and what's that?" Naruto asked with a raised brow.

Ino giggled, causing Naruto's eye to twitch. "That's for you to figure out, silly."

'_What the hell is that supposed to mean!?' _he thought in frustration.

Naruto was about to ask again on the matter before Ino's walking came to a stop, causing him to realize they were in front of her home. Unlocking her fingers from his, Ino pulled her house key out of her small shoulder bag and placed it into the doorknob. With a turn and a push, she opened the door to her home before turning back to Naruto who stood politely behind her.

"Well… I should be heading in…" Ino said after a moment of them standing there, quietly looking at each other. "This night stressed me out way more than I was expecting."

Naruto sweat-dropped, knowing she was trying to make fun of the events, but he was still very sore on the matter. He noticed how she just stood there rather close to him, looking up at him with tinted cheeks as she played with her keys slightly. He felt he was forgetting a very important lesson from his belated Sensei.

'_Awe man! What was it Ero-Sennin said a woman wants when she plays with her keys after a date!? …. Ugh…. I should have paid more attention to his drunken rants!' _Naruto inwardly scolded himself, not noticing Ino was beginning to lose patience.

"You know, you're a real dumb ass, you know that?!" Ino growled out, grabbing Naruto's collar and pulling him towards her forcefully, giving him no time to respond.

Wide shocked eyes stared back at closed, long, full eyelashes. Naruto felt a warm, sweet, and soft sensation on his lips. But before he could even wrap his head around what was happening, Ino leaned away and broke theirs lips apart with a soft pop, a sweet smirk appearing on her face.

"Good night, Naruto-Kun… See you soon," she whispered to him. With a wink and a twirl, Ino walked inside and closed the door behind her quickly, leaving an awe struck and blushing Naruto.

Naruto stared at the door blankly for the second time that night. His hand was up touching his lips, trying his best to remember the sensation he had just felt on them just moments ago. He wanted more of the sensation, but for now he had to be patient. He smiled before slowly backing away from the door with a love dazed sway in his step.

"Night… Ino-Chan… I'll figure out what I'm supposed to do to make you my girlfriend. You can count on that…" he whispered sweetly with a dazed gloss over his eyes.

If Naruto was a failure, he sure knew how to fail in style…

~Yamanaka Residence~

Ino quickly kicked off her heels and bolted through the hall and up the stairs to her mother's room, knowing at this hour she would be in bed reading one of her books. Rounding the corner at the top of the steps, Ino slid to a stop in front of her mother's door, which was open. Ezra sat in bed, casually reading her book before Ino's burst through the home and sudden stop outside her bedroom door made her place the book down onto her lap. She watched Ino lean against the door frame with a massive blush on her face, which Ezra could easily guess from what.

"I'm home!" Ino suddenly announced, earning a smile from Ezra.

"I can see that!" she responded calmly. "Soooo…. how did it go?"

Ino smiled as she pulled her hair over her shoulder to begin playing with it.

"Mom… it was by far…" Ino paused for dramatic affect as her mother leaned in slightly, waiting excitedly for her analysis of the night. "…the worst first date I have EVER been on!" she finished with a frown.

Ezra deflated slightly at hearing this, scanning her daughters face for hurt or sadness, but oddly enough not fining anything of the sort.

"Wait so… It went bad, huh?" she asked with a raised brow at how her daughter seemed to be on cloud nine… very unlike someone who just had a terrible night. "What happened?"

Ino smiled.

"Oh, Mom, he was so bad at dating! He acted like a pervert… which by the way, you need to shut your mouth sometimes! He didn't know what a reservation was! He didn't bring his wallet to pay for dinner! He just didn't know anything about how to take a girl on a date!" Ino explained, all the while never losing her blush and smile.

Ezra raised her brow at the story, but even more so for her daughter's seemingly unaffected mood.

"So he failed miserably?" Ezra asked, getting a nod from Ino. "And based off of how happy you look… that's… good?"

Ino's smile widened as she nodded, confirming her mother's suspicion.

"Mom, he failed so badly, but at the same time… he was so sweet. I mean every moment I'm around the guy I feel like I'm reaching just a little piece of paradise!" Ino said with her hands clasped over her heart, twirling in the doorway like a school girl. "I mean, he failed, sure… but I honestly couldn't think of anyone else I would want to have a crappy date with.

Ezra smiled at this, rolling her eyes at her daughter's antics.

"Seems my sweetie's gotten bit by the love bug, hehee," Ezra teased, making Ino stop her twirling and lean against the door frame with her back to it.

Ino sighed in happiness as she still had her hands over her heart.

"Maybe so, Mom… maybe so."

"So are you two a couple?" Ezra asked, feeling the need to get as much information as possible before her daughter stepped down off of her cloud and began to shut her out as usual.

Ino shook her head no before looking over at her mother with a smile.

"I want him to figure something out first," Ino explained with her head leaned back against the door frame, looking up towards the roof.

"And that would be?" Ezra urged her to answer.

"That if he even has the capability of having a girlfriend right now…" Ino whispered, her eyes darkening to show her seriousness. "Naruto isn't in a good place right now, and I don't want him jumping into something serious with me if he isn't able to go the long run with it. I guess I just want to see and even for me to see if he truly likes me for me. Or I'm just a rope he can grasp onto for now to help him out of his hole."

Ezra frowned knowing there was a hidden meaning behind Ino's sudden wall.

"It sounds more like you just don't want to give someone the chance to hurt you again..." Ezra spoke out calmly, watching Ino's face turn to the floor.

"Yeah… maybe," Ino whispered out. "But I'll see how things go for now… Night mom, sleep tight."

Ino turned and walked her way out of her mother's doorway and turned down the hall to head to her own room, breaking from her mother's sight, clearly a little more down after hearing what her mother had to say.

Ezra only looked at the now empty doorway with sad eyes, wanting to go after her daughter, but also knowing she needed time to herself.

'_Oh, sweetie… it would seem Naruto-san is not the only one in need of some healing…' _Ezra thought gently.

"Good night, honey… I love you," Ezra whispered out to the dark, empty doorway.

Love just as with pain has the power to damage… even before you knew there was a wound…

End Chapter 12

AN :( Next Chapter- The owed favor and the journey to the edge of the Land of Rivers! )

24,000 Yen is just below 200 US dollars.


	14. Chapter 13 The Lingerer

AN: (Did you know that the spelling of Blond and Blonde refer to gender? Such as Ino is Blonde while Naruto is Blond…. I didn't know that until recently! Also sorry for the slightly short chapter….im turning 21 soon so I will be off to Cabo!)

(Sorry for this huge long delay! So many things went wrong! Such as blue screens of death and just simple failure to upload by the site. I hope you all enjoy this long overdue chapter!)

Chapter 13: Lingerer

*Knock Knock*

"Come in."

Ino pulled the door open quickly after hearing permission to enter and stepped into the large office. Scanning the room quickly, she took note of the people who were already occupying the space besides herself.

Sakura and Hinata stood in the middle of the room in front of the Hokage's desk. Both gave Ino a smile and wave, which she greeted back with a smile and hello of her own. Over slightly to the left of Sakura and Hinata, Shikamaru sat on the large sofa that was placed in front of the desk. He threw a lazy wave over his shoulder without looking at her properly.

Over against the right wall of the office stood Naruto with his arms crossed, leaning back against the wall quietly. His right arm that had been in a sling the past couple of days was now free of its restraints, since Kurama had gone into overdrive to heal the arm quickly. It seemed he was able to move it normally since she last saw him little under a week ago on their first date. Now it was wrapped in white bandages, while he still wore his orange athletic tape on his left arm.

Naruto's head was turned towards the window that was beside him, looking out into the village and not acknowledging her presence in the office. Ino slightly frowned at this, but then grew a cheeky smile, seeing the pink tint that now spread over his cheeks with her presence and the quick glance in her direction. She hadn't seen him since their date, but she knew by that glance of his she was still always somewhere on his mind.

She figured his blushing was reinforced by the new mission uniform she was wearing. She picked it up for herself a few days ago since her previous outfit had become just a little old for her taste.

Her new gear was comprised of a purple compression top that hugged her curves nicely. The top had short sleeves that cut off just over her shoulders and had a mesh lining that ran along the side of the top beneath her arms. Her midsection was left exposed, as usual. Her new compression pants that matched her top stopped just above her knees and had the same mesh ling running up the side just as her top did. She wore a new equipment pack that hung around her waist, larger than most, with a Konoha protector fastened to the strap of the bag. Lastly, she wore a mesh sleeve on her right arm with a matching sleeve on her left leg to finish of her new look.

The tightness of the outfit drove Naruto - and he was sure other men - crazy. He especially enjoyed the fact that she was wearing her hair down and not in a ponytail like how she usually wore it. He loved her hair when it was down.

Ino walked forward to stand next to Sakura and Hinata as Shikamaru stood from his seated uninterested position. But before she could even get a word in, Tsunade spoke up from her readings as she placed the document that previously occupied her attention onto her desk.

"Well… it would seem that everyone who was summoned is finally here," Tsunade said calmly, folding her fingers together with her elbows resting on the wood surface of her desk.

The shinobi filed into a straight line in front of Tsunade's desk and gave her a confident nod. Well… all besides Naruto, who still stood against the far right wall, only acting like he was listening to Tsunade. It was now clear to Ino as she more closely focused on his demeanor that something was seriously bothering the man. He looked to be in deep thought.

"May I ask why we were summoned, Lady Tsunade?" Shikamaru asked in a lazy tone, rubbing the back of his neck as if it was sore. "Usually, our summons have at least a brief description as to why we we're being called on… but there was nothing on the scroll I received."

Sakura also nodded with agreement, showing how she had been thinking similar thoughts ever since she got the letter early this morning.

Tsunade only closed her eyes and sighed in exasperation before she pointed a lazy finger over to Naruto, who was now looking at the group of shinobi that stood in front of him, his attention gone from the window.

"I sent the summons…" Naruto informed calmly and in a tone much softer any of them were used to.

This information got a raised brow from Shikamaru, but more of a knowing understanding look from the three girls beside him. They each had a feeling that this particular mission would be coming very soon.

"Huh?" Shikamaru asked with an intrigued brow. "Why would you summon us for a mission?"

Naruto unfolded his arm and strolled his way across the room to stand right besides Tsuande's desk, facing his friends. He had a calm, confident aura to him today. It was refreshing, to say the least.

"We're going to find Molly," Naruto said confidently, receiving a confirming nod from Sakura, Ino, and Hinata.

Shikamaru, on the other hand, only had an even more curious look upon his face than before. He gave Naruto a quizzical gaze, trying to think of a way to go about all the questions that sprung in his head with this given information.

"That's great and all, Naruto… but we don't even know where the hell she is," Shikamaru said calmly, expecting a quick response from the man before him, but only receiving a closed eye and quiet frown.

Shikamaru was about to rattle off another series of questions after Naruto's sudden questionable silence before Tsunade stepped in to fill in some blanks.

"Naruto and I were discussing this before any of you arrived," she said flatly. "Naruto knows that it's a blind trail to find the girl, but we feel we might have a way to at least get some information on where she is. Or, at least, to find out more on who the people were that took her."

"How...?" Shikamaru asked calmly.

Shikamaru looked from Tsunade to Naruto as he reopened his eyes, looking as if he was going to finally explain as to where and how they were going to get such information.

"Back in my travels with Ero-Sennin… I accompanied him to many meetings in which he met with informants that specialized in… well, let's say many areas. In one of these meetings, we met with a man who specialized in… the illegal trading of human beings and information." Naruto spoke slowly so that everyone could understand what he meant.

"Illegal trading of human beings and information?" Sakura repeated with a raised brow, not liking at all how that sounded. "What the hell does that mean?"

Naruto looked slightly to the floor as if he was not very happy about the answer that would be given to the innocent question. Tsunade stepped in to answer for him.

"The man you will be meeting with has no name and is only know on the streets as The Lingerer. He is a wicked and twisted man who has avoided our assassination attempts for years," Tsunade informed before calmly deciding to answer Sakura's question. "And Sakura… He runs and coordinates an underground female slave organization. He hires top league rouge ninja to kidnap noble woman for him."

Everyone in the room besides Tsunade and Naruto went wide eyed and had to take a moment to process what they just heard. The girls were immediately filled with rage while Shikamaru tried his best to find the reasoning to meet with such a man. He decided that short quick questions would get him his answers quicker.

"So when you say… female slaves… you don't mean?" Hinata tried to ask out, but couldn't keep herself from stuttering from the slight shock she felt.

"Yes… his trades usually have the minds of perverts behind them," Tsunade answered with a stern gaze.

The girls only growled with disgust.

"Why are we talking to this guy, then?" Shikamaru asked blandly.

"He does indeed run a slave ring, but he is also the leading man with information on who is being targeted for kidnapping and who has already been snagged," Naruto retorted with a hiss, obviously not at all happy with the man's work. "His business thrives on the kidnapping and distribution of women for his… well… you know… so If there is anyone on this earth that might know with whom, why, and where Molly is… it's him."

"That's a great theory and all, but how do we actually know he has information on Molly, and where do we even find him?" Sakura asked in a rather heated tone, not at all liking this. "Like you said, he's avoided the Anbu for years… he's not a man to be found easily."

"The Lingerer always tries to kidnap girls of noble blood, which Molly undoubtable is, with her father being the legendary sword crafter for the seven swordsmen. I have no doubt he will have at least some information on Molly and possibly her whereabouts," Tsunade informed. "He wouldn't let a high class target like her just fall of the face of the earth without at least some information on how to find her himself."

"And I know where to find him" Naruto said with a frown, knowing what he was going to say next would piss off his friends. "Or at least where to start looking…. Like I said before… Ero-Sennin and I have met with him once prior to get information on a missing woman. He bounces from many different hideouts over the years to remain undetected… but we have information to believe there is a city he frequents regularly."

Silence swept the room for a moment.

"You… you were in the same room as that bastard and you didn't kill him!?" Ino growled out, not believing that Naruto would just let scum like that slip by without a scratch. "How could you!? How many more girls has he taken and made slaves since you let him go years ago!?""

Naruto's frown deepened and his eyes lost some light. He didn't know how to respond; he knew very well at the time he'd wanted the man dead but Ero-Sennin it was ordered from the Hokage herself to let the man live. Tsunade frowned and closed her eyes.

"I gave the order to keep him alive…" she said sadly.

Sakura and Ino's eyes went wide at hearing this and their mouths only hung in somber silence.

"At the time, it was in a better interest to leave the man alive so we could get information on the Akastuki's whereabouts," Tsunade said with a slight frown as Sakura and Ino shot daggers back at her while Hinata showed utter distaste. "It was dark times for the ninja world, if you will remember, so we in turn had to rely on… unconventional means to get ahead."

"But times are different now!" Naruto spoke up, getting the group to look at him. "With the world at peace, there is no need for that scum to be alive. That's why once we get the information we need… we're taking the prick out. And we're gathering any information we can on the whereabouts of his sex rings so we can shut them down," he finished with a dark, narrowed eye, earning a satisfied smile from his female friends and an understanding nod from Shikamaru.

"B… but… how will we even be sure he will see us or answer our questions?" Hinata asked politely.

"He owes me a favor that I plan to cash in." Tsunade informed sternly. "Looking away for these last few years and not killing the bastard when Jiraiya met with him has left him quite a ways in my debt. So as a favor… he will give you the information you need."

Hinata nodded, as well did the others.

"Now…" Tsunade said calmly, spinning her chair slightly to her left so she faced Naruto who stood beside her desk. "Naruto will be leading this mission, with Shikamaru in second command."

Shikamaru as well as the others nodded in understanding.

"Naruto… this will be your first mission ever in which you are leading a platoon. Be strong, and earn the title of Jonin you now wear." Tsunade said firmly, but with slight motherly pride she didn't show outright.

Naruto nodded confidently with little waiver in his eyes and his posture. He knew that there was no way he was going to fail this mission… no way in hell.

Shikamaru understood all of what he needed to except for one last thing.

"So… where do we find this… Lingerer?"

Naruto let a smile spread over his face, actually happy about this answer.

"In the Party Capital of the Five Nations! Luqor… In the Land of Rivers!" Naruto informed with a wide smile and thumbs up.

The group only blankly stared at the man before all responding in simultaneous confusion.

"Huh?"

Tsunade smiled, knowing the town very well, and decided to fill the team in after Naruto's now defeated posture at his friends not knowing of what he was talking about.

"Luqor Town is a club, casino, and bar-enriched city in the middle of the Land of Rivers." Tsunade informed with a smile, seeing the surprised and excited looks that came over the faces of those in front of her. "It's a beautiful village with large sky-reaching buildings, lights, and music ringing out through the entire town. It's quite normal in the day light with nice restaurants and flourishing businesses… but at night… I can assure you, it's called the Party Capital of the Five Nations for a reason."

"How much money did you lose there back in the day, Shishou?" Sakura asked with a smirk and knowing eye.

Tsunade's blush and rambling stutters were all the answer she needed.

"Alright, enough talk," Naruto said sternly, getting the attention of his team. "We head out in 30… Be ready at the village gate by then. Oh, and one last thing… Bring a pair of… party clothes"

The team all nodded with curiosity but decided to let it slide for now, knowing that they had been ordered to leave. The team gave a polite bow, Ino winking at Naruto, and left the office to gather their materials. The door closed after a moment of shuffling feet and Naruto and Tsunade were left alone in the office.

"You said you need to speak with me earlier once we were alone, Baa-Chan?" Naruto asked calmly, turning his attention to the motherly figure next to him.

"Ah, yes, I had almost forgotten," she replied with a relaxed demeanor. "I needed to talk to you about my retirement."

Naruto raised his brow curiously at this, wondering how he was needed for anything that could be happening with her stepping down.

"A little birdy has told me that Kakashi wants you to be his advisor once he takes office," Tsunade said with a smirk while Naruto kept his stern face. "Is this correct?"

Naruto furrowed his brow slightly.

"Yeah, he asked me… what of it?" Naruto responded almost as if he was put off by the question.

"Well… are you going to accept his offer, Naruto? I mean, he takes office in three weeks… not a lot of time for you to dwell on the matter," Tsunade informed, wanting Naruto to understand that if he was going to accept, she needed to hear it sooner rather than later.

Naruto turned away with a glare in his eyes as he thought about the question.

"Speaking of Kakashi-Sensei, I sent him a summons so he could go on this mission too, but it looks like he didn't want to show!" Naruto spat out in distaste, trying to change the subject.

"He's out of the village on personal matters right now, Naruto, and I'm sure he's very sorry he could not accompany you on this mission," Tsunade replied with a sigh in her voice. "Now stop dancing around the subject and tell me if you're going to accept Kakashi's offer or if I need to tell him to find someone else. "

Naruto narrowed his eyes to the floor as silence rang out in the office, the soft sound of chirping birds being the only thing to break it.

"I'll give him an answer after I get back…" Naruto said sternly as he shunshined out of the room in a large puff of grey smoke before Tsunade could protest.

Tsunade only growled slightly at how hard-headed the boy could be before pulling a sake glass from her drawer and taking a swig straight from the bottle.

'_That man always finds a way to bring me to drink!'_

(8 Hours Later) 6:53 P.M. Deep in the Land of Rivers –

Leading the team with great pace, Naruto could begin to see familiar surroundings of his travels with Jiraiya as they reached ever closer the town of Luqor. Trees that only grew in near proximity of the town were beginning to pop up her and there, bringing a smile from Naruto, knowing after their long travel they would soon be able to rest. And sure enough, just as Naruto was about to inform his team of their location… the village came into view in the distance.

Naruto looked at it with a slight smile that quickly contorted into sternness, knowing what the town lay in store for himself and his friends.

The rest only looked on at the town – no, more of a city, if they could say so themselves, with awe at its brilliance. They were easily still a few miles out from the town, and yet the tall towers and beautiful glass buildings could be easily seen. Sunlight shimmered and danced off the glass as the setting sun behind them created a warm, orange sky above. It looked amazing.

'_So beautiful…' _Sakura thought with an open mouth. Not once in her life had she seen such amazing and dazzling architecture.

With the glittering buildings becoming ever closer, only Naruto and Shikamaru even registered that they had made it to the front of the city's gates. As their running slowed into a comfortable walk towards the guard's booth outside of the closed gate, it was hard not to notice the sound of muffled music of clubs and what they could guess were festivities going on on the other side of the large gate.

"May I help you?" a younger gentleman asked from within the guard's booth as they approached, grabbing the attention of Naruto.

"We are from Konohagakure. We are here on personal matters and have been given access in advance to enter your city," Naruto informed politely as he pulled out a scroll from his bag and handed it to the guard which Tsunade had given him earlier.

After a quick read through, the guard handed back the scroll, and with a quick pull of a lever, the doors to the city slowly began to swing open, revealing the boisterous and loud commotion that laid within. Naruto furrowed his brow while his team showed faces of amazement and curiosity.

Once the large gate doors finished their slow creak open, the team finally understood why Naruto referred to it as the "Party Capital." Walking through the streets, the entire team's heads were swiveling as they tried to take in all of the sights and sounds in one impossible go. People walked by in costumes and bikinis and formal clothes, all seeming to be coming from and going to exciting and fun locations. Shop vendors beckoned out to the streets for wandering customers to make their way into their shops. The smell of tantalizing food almost made them give in to their calls.

Music played out from shops that were packed with customers and street bands that walked through the crowds of people trying to make a quick tip. The buildings of casinos and resorts lined the streets in massively tall and miraculous buildings. The resorts were all fenced off, but one could still see the massive pools and hot tub side bars that laid in front of the large locations. Relaxing in a hot tub sounded amazing to Shikamaru at the moment, who wanted to get off his aching feet.

"This is amazing!" Ino said with an exited squeal, grabbing Sakura's shoulder and pointing to a store they were passing by that had just caught her attention. "Sakura! They have a Henry Vuitton here!"

Sakura gasped with sparkling eyes, knowing she absolutely had to at least step inside.

"We have to go! I heard they just came out with their summer collection!" Sakura squealed with equal excitement.

The pair made a move through the large crowd to begin walking over to the store before a very loud whistle caught their attention, making them turn back to where the team was walking. Naruto glared at them, not happy that he had to stop in this bustling crowd. He lowered his fingers from his mouth, showing he was the one who whistled.

"Don't forget, we're on a mission!" Naruto yelled over the crowed with a stern look, earning a frown from the two woman who sulkily marched their way back to the group. "We need to check into our hotel before doing anything else…. But just maybe I'll let you all go and have fun tonight before we get to work tomorrow morning!"

'_Hard ass,' _Ino thought bitterly, following Naruto once again through the crowd.

Making their way for what felt like forever to Ino, they eventually made it the front gates of a rather large resort/casino building located in the innermost part of the city.

The group walked up the long stone path that led to the large building that must have been at least 50 stories high. Ino and Hinata enjoyed watching the courtyard fountain that ran with the path dance and shoot water high into the air with amazing patterns and displays. This place just kept getting better and better.

Once reaching the front, they were greeted by two gentlemen who pulled back the doors and allowed the group to walk into the large lobby. The inside was bright, with shiny reflective tile lining the floor and high rise ceilings above, giving off the mood of a high class feel. The sound of music and commotion could be heard from deeper within the building, with also the sound of what they cold guess were slots and casino games.

Naruto made his way to the front desk in the middle of the dome-shaped room, followed by his team.

"Reservation for Uzumaki," he stated, letting his backpack roll of his shoulder and onto the floor next to him, finally able to relax slightly after their long days travel.

"Oh, so now you know what a reservation is, eh?" Ino said from behind jokingly. Naruto twitched in agitation and threw a glare over his shoulder at her.

She only giggled and waved off the curious looks the others gave at her comment.

"Ah, here you are!" the receptionist said with a smile as she typed some information into the computer screen in front of her. "I have you booked for the master suite on the top floor!"

Naruto nodded, seeing as that was where Tsunade informed him they would be staying when she had given him the mission scroll holding all of the little details of their travel. After being handed the down payment for their stay, the hostess quickly gave him a keycard and directions to the nearest elevator, which was down the hall in the casino.

As they made their way through the casino, Naruto looked over the large room that was filled with slot machines and poker tables. There were no windows, as usual with high end gambling halls. The music and chimes of the machines were loud but also tantalizing, edging the group to stop and spend a few dollars and see if they had the good fortune to win some back.

Naruto only rolled his eyes seeing the sparkle the glowed in his friends' eyes… well, except Shikamaru, who looked more interested in a nap than anything else.

They wedged themselves in to the elevator, barely fitting in. Sakura scanned over the buttons, looking for the highest number.

"Man, this building is big! The highest floor is 45 stories up!" Sakura exclaimed as she pushed the button, initiating the movement of the small ascending room.

As the elevator slowly made its way to the top, Ino decided to pass her time by reading a pamphlet she picked up when they were check-in at the front desk. Scanning over the information, she delighted with everything she found that piqued her interest.

"This place has a spa, indoor and outdoor pool, 24 hour room service, and a bar and club located on the bottom floor after 10pm!" she announced in excitement.

"We're not here for pleasure, Ino-Chan…" Naruto retorted with a growl, not comfortable at the moment in the claustrophobic elevator. "We're here to search for the Lingerer and get the information we need from him."

"Ya, well, I'll definitely be starting my search and intel gathering at the spa!" she replied happily, earning rolled eyes from Naruto.

After a few more agonizing moments, the elevator doors opened to the top floor. Naruto pushed everyone out so he could take a breath.

Looking around, they noticed how it was just a short, red, carpeted hallway that lead to a slick pair of double black doors at the end. The plaque on the door said '5 Star Suite.'

Naruto and the others made their way to the door and he slid the room card through the slot. The doors slowly creaked open to reveal the most amazing hotel room Naruto had ever seen.

'_Damn, Baa-Chan! You go all out!' _Naruto thought with wide eyes as he made his way into the suite.

The group slowly filed into the large opening, a living room-like space.

The living room was in the shape of a dome, with a huge glass chandelier hanging high above in the center. There was a large, U-shaped couch that faced a wide-screen TV on a wall. The entire far wall from the front door was a large sliding glass door that lead to a balcony that over looked the city. Off to the left of the room was a large luxury kitchen that was made of marble with stainless steel appliances.

To the right of the front door, there was a hallway that led to 5 doors that they were guessing were their bedrooms and bathrooms.

Shikamaru whistled, looking at the high-class living room.

"Nice place," Ino said with an awestruck tone.

Naruto threw his bag onto the couch as he walked by, making his way to the large glass door. He pulled open the door, letting the fresh air sweep through the suite as he took in a large breath.

"Alright… we've had a full day's travel. So I'll give everyone the night off, but come 6 O'clock tomorrow morning… we start our mission!" Naruto said sternly as he looked out at the view the balcony provided.

"Don't you think we should try and get some information on the Lingerer?" Sakura asked, kind of shocked that Naruto had taken such a turn in his prioritizing. "You know the sooner we find him, the sooner we can rescue Molly?"

Hinata and Shikamaru agreed with small nods.

"Trust me, Sakura, I want to find Molly more than anyone… but a tired and distracted team does me no good," Naruto replied calmly. "So since this is all your first time here in Luqor, I will allow you all to enjoy yourselves for tonight. And with everyone out and about, we might stumble upon something we never would have even thought to look for!"

Naruto smiled to himself softly.

"It's a trick Ero-Sennin taught me years ago," he said as he turned to look back at his team. "The best way to get information on a hard-to-find person is to act like you aren't looking at all."

The rest of his team all raised their brows to this reasoning.

Naruto huffed at their expressions in exasperation, and physically deflated for a moment.

"If we go asking questions and actively look for the Lingerer, he will just run… he has spies for him coating this entire city," Naruto informed, getting a more interested reaction from his friends. "Trust me… the Lingerer already knows we are in the city… and he most likely knows we are interested in finding him. So if we show up prowling the city… he will flee, and are hopes of finding Molly are going to go to shit."

"Well, what are we going to do?" Ino asked, obviously trying to understand the reasoning for such a plan. "It's not like we can just sit on our asses and wait for him to come to us…"

Naruto smiled at the question.

"Yes… that's exactly what we're gonna do." Naruto said with a calculating grin.

"What?" Hinata asked in confusion.

"When Ero-Sennin and I met with him before, he came to us after a while of us being in the city… so there's no need for us to look at all… We'll receive an invitation to where he is lurking in the next couple of days…" Naruto informed as he crossed his arms. "Trust me."

"W…why would he do that? I mean, he would be giving us exactly what we want!" Ino remarked with obvious nods from the rest.

"And can't we just find him with your Sage Jutsu? You are able to sense people from miles away with that thing…" Shikamaru chimed in, making a rather good point. "There would be no use for us to waste time waiting if you're able to do that."

Naruto turned to the side and looked back out to the city with a calm demeanor. The wafting breeze that came through the room ruffled his hair softly.

"My Sage chakra won't be able to find him…" Naruto informed with a sigh. "He is always held up in safe houses with more protective seals than anyone's abilities could penetrate… How do you think the Anbu haven't been able to find him unless he wants to be found?"

"And Ino-Chan… sometimes the easiest way to get out of a confrontation is to give the person what they want," Naruto said calmly. "He knows we want information… and once he realizes we aren't leaving until we get it… he'll cower, just like the little chicken shit he is, and he'll give us what we want so he can continue with his days. Well, he doesn't know we plan on killing him this time though, he-he."

The team nodded and smiled as they actually liked Naruto's reasoning. It was understandable for the man to be under sealing protection to avoid being found, and it also helped that Naruto and Jiraiya had actually lived through this before and if that's what the Lingerer was known for doing… then they would wait for his invitation.

"Now, go enjoy the town! We can only pass the time, after all!" Naruto said with a winning smile as he turned to look back at his team.

However upon turning, he only caught the pink and purple blurs of Hinata and Sakura as they sprinted down the hall to his left towards the bed rooms so they could change and head out to do whatever. Hinata smiled sweetly and saluted before turning and running off to her own room. Naruto frowned and grumbled under his breath at being blown off.

'_Bastards… they could have at least waited for me to finish!' _he thought bitterly.

Shikamaru simply sighed in laziness and plopped down on the large couch, resting his head now that the tiresome conversation was over.

"You know, your face will stick like that if you continue to silently fume with your face all contorted. Maybe you should chill," Shikamaru said calmly with a yawn, getting Naruto's attention. "Trust me… being a leader isn't always getting everyone to do everything you want."

"I'm just trying to…" Naruto started before narrowing his eyes at the snoring coming from his friend.

"ZzZzZz…."

Naruto twitched an eye at the man sleeping before him, not knowing if he should be impressed or worried of how quick he was able to nod off.

'_Some things never change…' _Naruto thought jokingly. _"But… maybe he's right. Let the girls do as they please… we have to be patient, after all.' _

Naruto sighed heavily, deciding to just relax and let time flow for now.

He turned with heavy shoulders so he was facing out towards the balcony again, but to his surprise, he saw Ino staring out over the railing to the city below. He was kind of shocked that she had somehow got by him in the brief encounter he had with Shikamaru, but with a shrug he just simply smiled and made his way to stand beside her.

Ino stared calmly at the bright neon lights below before noticing the sound of footsteps coming up behind her on the creaky wooden balcony. She didn't pay it much mind, however, as she was very aware of who the steps belonged to.

"Hey… Ino-Chan" Naruto said in a soft tone as he took the spot directly to the left of her, leaning just as she was on the railing.

Naruto loved the view from their room. They were in the resort and casino side of town so they could easily see over the smaller buildings around them and get a true feel for the city. Neon lights shown down below them from the streets. They could easily see Downtown Luqor, which was about a mile away. The tall skyscrapers and bright flashing of clubs and bars could even be seen from this distance. Naruto couldn't decide if he loved the city… or hated it. He scanned the view from right to left before finally landing his eyes on Ino.

Ino seemed to be doing the same as Naruto as she eventually landed her eyes upon him as well. She simply looked him up and down before returning to enjoying the view. She placed her chin in her palm with her elbow on the metal bar of the railing. Naruto didn't know how to feel about that interaction.

"So… what's up?" Naruto asked awkwardly, just realizing this was the first time they had been alone since their brief kiss after their date a few nights back.

"Eh… nothing much." Ino stated calmly with a shrug, almost seeming uninterested.

Naruto felt let down at her casual response, but then finally saw the faint red tint that crossed over the woman's cheeks. He relaxed just a bit, knowing she was feeling just as awkward as he was.

"So… uhh-"

"Was that your first?" Ino suddenly interrupted, turning to look up at him with a soft shimmer in her eyes from the lights around them.

Naruto arched his brow.

"My first what?" he asked carefully, truly not understanding the question.

Ino's blush increased as a quivering smile graced her face. She turned back to the view.

"Kiss… was that your first kiss?" she asked in a shy tone that didn't really fit her personality. Usually, she would have been kind of sexual if she had asked that to any other person, but like a lot of things with Naruto… it was different.

Naruto looked away with a tint.

"W…what do you mean? You saw me kiss H…Hinata?" He replied with a quivering tone.

"If you even count her…" Ino replied bitterly not liking she had forgotten such a detail.

Naruto's face then fell into a sickening white as he twitched and convulsed with horror as a certain memory resurfaced in his mind.

Ino looked over seeing the man's actions, wondering what could be possibly be going through his head to make him act in such a way to her question. She really felt kind of offended for a moment.

"What the hell are you freaking out about?" Ino asked heatedly, watching Naruto shiver and spit out his tongue in disgust.

"You Nor Hinata were…. my first kiss…" Naruto stated in a quivering tone. "Sasuke was…"

Ino looked at the man before her with slowly widening eyes. His awkward answer had thrown her for a loop before she, too, remembered what had happened to the two of them in the classroom almost 7 years ago.

Her reaction was to be expected.

"BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ino burst into a loud boisterous laughter that made Naruto twitch in anger.

He watched as she bent over, clutching her sides. Still laughing at the top of her longs, she was practically rolling on the floor with hysteria.

"I had… (giggle) completely forgotten… (giggle) about that!" Ino gasped in-between her fits of laughter. "If only I'd had a camera that day!"

Naruto continued to watch her roll around in laughter with narrow eyes. He was very much unamused.

"Yeah… haha…" Naruto responded in complete monotone, his arms crossed over his chest showing his displeasure. "It was real funny, Ino-Chan."

Ino sat up and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Awh man…. You have to warn a girl before you bring up funny shit like that, Naruto-kun!" Ino said with a now red face, her cheeks hurting.

Naruto flipped her the bird and turned away with a childish huff.

"Oh come on, Naruto-Kun! It was funny!" Ino pleaded as she stood and tried to pry Naruto away from the bar of the balcony by his arm, but was failing horribly.

Naruto shot a jokingly irritated look over his shoulder as Ino still tugged on him to turn towards her.

"Well I hope you enjoyed yourself with your little comedy sesh, because you just blew the possibility of ever getting kisses from this guy… ever again!" Naruto said with a humorously bad snobbish tone as he tried to keep himself from laughing at this point as well.

Ino stopped tugging on him after hearing that, making Naruto feel that he had won their little play fight. But Naruto couldn't see the wicked smirk that spread over Ino's face as she leaned in close to him.

Naruto's eyes shot open from his closed eyed smirk as he felt Ino wrap her arms around his torso with her body pressed to his back. Her breath was right on his neck, which made his entire body tingle with shivers. He tried to keep himself composed as the soft pressure that was on his back made his head go blurry, knowing, without even looking, that it was her chest pressed seductively against him.

Ino raised up on her toes so she could reach Naruto's ear easier as she let her breath tickle him even more. She could tell her hot breath was getting to him by the slight shiver she just felt him make. She smiled wickedly, leaning in close so Naruto could hear her soft whispers.

"But Naruto-Kun… if we can't kiss… however am I supposed to get you in the mood for what I had planned for…. _Later Tonight?_" Ino whispered seductively, putting a little more emphasis on tonight than Naruto could handle as she clearly felt his back stiffen at her words.

As she hummed in a way that sounded more like a moan, Naruto finally let his head turn with an almost robotic slowness. His face was a dead blank with a deep strawberry red coating his tan features. His nose which now sported a crimson stream sniffled ever so slightly.

"W… w… what?" was the only word Naruto was able to mutter as his head swirled with sudden impure thoughts.

Ino batted her eyes with her thick eyelashes, giving a little more effect as she leaned up even further so her nose was touching Naruto's. Naruto trembled as he watched her slowly raised up closer to him. Their eyes locked as the seductive look never left Ino's face before she finally leaned even further so her breath tickled Naruto's lips as she whispered.

"Just… kidding…" Ino burst into laughter and turned on her heels so she could make her way back inside, knowing she had hands down just won their play fight. As she made her way with a boisterous laughter, she turned and gave a wink to the dead-faced Naruto.

"I'm going shopping and you will be escorting me! So be ready, because we will be leaving as soon as I'm ready!" Ino said with a giggle as she pulled the sliding glass door closed behind her, walking towards her room.

Naruto was left standing alone with a blank face towards the direction Ino had just departed in.

His red ace slowly went back to normal and his nose dried… however his fully wide eyes that were still showing his absolute shock at what all had just gone down in the past 30 seconds never relaxed. He slowly and robotically tuned back to the view behind him as he contemplated what had just happened. He stared blankly into the night.

"So… _that's_ what it feels like to get played…"

-1 Hour Later -

The crowds that slowly moved through the streets were loud and lively in the night air. It was getting late, but the city showed no sign of dyeing down any time soon. Naruto walked casually with his hand in his pocket and the other holding his phone listing to Sakura chat away about nonsense she had seen on the other side of town. His headband was left at the suit as to not rouse suspicion with the town's people. He watched Ino just a few passes ahead of him jump back and forth from one side of the street to the other looking into shop windows with enthusiasm. The strip mall they were going through had no idea they had a professional shopper in their mists.

"_Yeah, Sakura-Neechan, everything's fine over here…"_ Naruto said casually into his phone never taking his eyes off Ino_. "Just be sure that you and Hinata keep your eyes open…we could very well be under watch."_

"_Yeah, yeah I'm on it. Shikamaru is even with us so I'm sure if something were going to happen he would notice immediately.' _Sakura's voice chimed from the phone.

Naruto nodded to no one in particular to Sakura's words before a cheer from Ino sounded out over the crowed grabbing his attention.

'_Well, at least she's enjoying herself…' _Naruto thought with a sweat drop watching the full grown woman bound about like a child along the streets.

"Ohhhh Naruto-Kun! Come in here!" Ino called back with a giggle as she practically sprinted inside one of the larger purse shops in the mall.

"Sigh…"

"_Alright, Sakura-Neechan I've got to go. Ino's dragging me away into some store." _Naruto said with absolute no interest.

He heard Sakura giggle at that.

"_Alright blockhead just keep your wits about yah. Especially with that pig with you." _Sakura said with a snicker.

Naruto only rolled his eyes and pressed the end call button after a shallow goodbye.

Naruto sighed, placing the phone in his pocket, and weaved his way through the large crowd to make his way to the door of the shop. As he waited for the lagging mechanical doors to slide open he could already see Ino standing in the checkout line waiting to purchase the purse she was holding.

'_(Sigh) at least we won't be in here long…' _Naruto thought in a laid back lazy voice, making it seem that Shikamaru had rubbed off his personality on him over the years.

"That was quick!" Naruto said in a mockingly interested voice.

Ino looked over to the approaching man and smiled wickedly.

"Can you believe my luck!? They only release this brand of purse once a year and only in limited quantity! Once I saw it was the last one, I just had to have it!" she replied with a wicked laugh that earned a sweat drop from Naruto.

He looked over his shoulder to see two men walking a bewildered woman away on a gurney, peeking Naruto's curiosity.

"What happened to that woman?" Naruto asked casually as the line slowly moved forward towards the register.

"She tried to get the bag for herself… I thought otherwise…" Ino said darkly with a wicked giggle and grin.

Naruto turned his head back to face her with a flick. His eyes wide in awe.

"What the hell, Ino?! You were in this store for like 5 seconds before I got here!" Naruto asked with shock that something like that went down in the few seconds Ino had enter the store before him. "What the hell did you fucking do?!"

"Like I said Naruto-Kun... I _HAD _to have it! He-he!" Ino said with an evil glint.

"You have issues… you know that…?" Naruto said in a monotone voice watching the woman be carried away.

"Don't we all?" Ino replied wittedly as she handed over the money for her purchase at the cash registers desk.

Naruto decided to look around casually for a moment waiting for Ino to finish so they could leave the store and watch Ino take off again like a bat out of hell to the next shop. He scanned the crowed of woman in the store trying to find something interesting to grab his attention in this shopping trip of hell.

'_This is so boring….'_ Naruto thought bitterly still scanning the crowed as Ino chatted away with the cashier, not noticing the glares she was getting from the woman behind her in line.

Naruto took one last glance over the crowd before another pair of eyes staring right back at him caught his attention. It was that of a female… he could tell that much, but the hoodie she had pulled over her head kept her features from being fully seen. She was standing about 15 yards away, right next to the entrance of the shop. She didn't move.

Naruto stared back into the blank eyes of the woman that surprisingly did not waver with his gaze. She seemed to be completely focused on him… like the rest of the world was just washed out.

He recognized her… or at least felt like he had seen her face before. He squinted his eyes as he gazed upon the woman. He was just about to begin walking over towards her before a large, burly woman walked across his field of vision for just a moment, obscuring his vision of the mysterious girl. By the time the woman had fully passed… the girl was gone.

'_What...? Did she just Shunshin or something?' _Naruto thought in shock as he quickly made it over to the spot the woman had just been standing to see if she was hiding just out of sight. But no… she was truly gone… like a ghost.

"What the hell... Who was that?" Naruto whispered to himself, looking around the store to catch a glance of the woman once again.

He looked all around before frowning and raising a brow.

"She seemed so… familiar... Just where have I seen that face before?" Naruto asked himself quietly, a blank, deep in thought look over his features.

He took a casual look down to the floor in a childish pout and saw a small envelope placed directly on the spot the woman had stood. His eyes widened in shock to see his name was neatly written on the front.

Quickly bending over, he picked up the parchment and turned it over to see it was sealed with a stamp.

"Naruto-Kun! What are you doing?" Ino asked in a cheerful tone as she walked up behind him, not noticing Naruto didn't hear her in the slightest.

Peering over Naruto's shoulder, she could see what appeared to be a torn open envelope in his left hand and what looked to be a letter in his right. She was about to ask another question when, without warning, Naruto dropped the letter he was holding and took off in a dead sprint out of the store and down the crowded street, not caring if he knocked over pedestrians as he did so.

Ino was left flabbergasted, watching him take off out of nowhere. She had to take a moment to understand what just happened.

"H… Hey! What the hell, Naruto-Kun!? Where are you going?" Ino yelled in anger with a shaking fist, knowing damn well Naruto was already too far to hear her.

Huffing in frustration, Ino turned back to the letter Naruto had just dropped, wondering if it held some clue as to why he had just taken off with pure determination in his eyes.

Picking it up and unfolding it with a flick of her thumb, she read over the contents briefly. Her eyes slowly widened as she did so, and just as Naruto had done… Ino began booking it down the street after Naruto.

Ino growled bitterly, throwing her shopping bags over her shoulder so she could run more freely. "That idiot could have at least waited!"

As Ino sprinted her way through the streets, she tried her best to dial Shikamaru's number.

The letter she had let fall softly landed on the store floor. Its paper unfolded with the contents available for anyone to read.

**Uzumaki Naruto,**

**Gonza Club, Westside.**

**You Have 10 Minutes… Not a second longer. **

**Sincerely, T.L.**

END CHAPTER 13


	15. Chapter 14 The Eyes Of Darkness

AN: (Sorry for the shorter Chapter! I have so much less time now a days! I'll never give up on this story though! Chapters will be posted...eventually!)

Chapter 14: The Eyes of Darkness

The line that stretched for blocks to get into Club Gonza was loud and boisterous, with anxious partiers ready to get their late night session in progress. The bouncer at the front of the line was a large man with a nice suit and blocker glasses that looked ridicules in the middle of the night. He stood strong as pesky clubbers tried their best to persuade their way inside. They knew that the chances of ever getting into such an exclusive hot spot was damn near impossible, yet the line did not waiver in size as the party seemed to just flow in the streets with the loud pounding music of Club Gonza, giving almost everything they would need to have a good time… Now they were just missing the alcohol.

Naruto could feel the shaking of the base, even though he was still standing outside of the large, many-storied building. He had just made it the back of the line, panting from the effort of getting across town in such good time. He growled at how the line was so large and even worse… unmoving. Standing up on the tip of his toes, he tried to look to see how far he was out, but was still unable to see the end… or rather, the entrance to the club.

'_Oh, fuck this!' _Naruto thought with a growl before he began to sprint to the front of the large line.

He had no time to screw around and wasn't about to waste his opportunity to find out where Molly was being kept because of some drunks. He was surprised to see the large line was nearly half a mile in length. He would have questioned why the hell anyone would stay in such an absurd thing, but the fact that he had to keep dodging and weaving his way through dancers in skimpy clothing, making the most of it in the street, answered his question.

Making his way to the entrance, he caught sight of the large bouncer rejecting people trying to get inside. Naruto narrowed his eyes and picked up his pace; no dimwit brute was going to stop him… not tonight.

With a quickened step and the help of a shunshin, Naruto swept passed the guard without a trace and was still in stride, making his way to a set of large metal doors at the end of the hallway which he guessed led to the club itself. With a shove, Naruto pushed passed the doors and booked it right in the center of the dance floor, with a skid to halt his directionless sprint.

The immensely large crowed that swayed and rocked all around him made it hard to get his bearings. The large thumping music didn't help either, making it feel as if his ear drums were damn near about to burst. He didn't just hear the music either; the thumping of the base made his body shake with the tempo. It was nauseating to any sane or sober person, but as Naruto looked around at the people in his nearest vicinity… he could see no one was anywhere near sober.

Drunk women who seemed to be wearing nothing but bras and thongs danced next to guys who were as equally trashed.

Which actually helped jog his memory of an old lesson Ero-sennin had taught him years ago about the gathering of information.

'_The bar! If there's anyone in this building that might know where the Lingerer is held up, it's the bartenders!' _Naruto thought with a grin as his head swiveled around, trying to locate the nearest watering hole.

This was not an easy task, with the massive amount of dancing bodies and dimly flashing strobe lights all around the entire club. Frustration was an understatement at this point for Naruto, knowing his time was running short, but from a side glance as a small opening emerged in the crowd, he spotted the bar far across the room. He was immediately pushing and squeezing his way through the mob, not caring if he spilled a drink or knocked over a young lady as he did so.

They were all too drunk or high to tell what was going on, anyway. He could tell that by all the rolled back or smoky eyes he kept glancing into.

Finally reaching the bar, Naruto yelled as loud as he could to the barista that was right in front of him, hoping she would hear his cries over the thumping music.

"I was summoned here by the Lingerer!?" Naruto screamed, earning a raised brow from the woman across from him, who did not stop vigorously shaking her cocktail.

Naruto watched as she finished and poured her drink to a customer next to him, growling in anger with the thought that she had not heard him. Naruto was heaving up his air to attempt another shout with his hands cupped around the edge of his mouth when he noticed the sly smirk the woman now held as she placed down the shaker onto the bar top.

With a reach under the counter, it would seem she had pressed some kind of button or lever. Naruto watched carefully, not wanting to miss a single piece of information that might suggest his life was in jeopardy. The woman then leaned over the counter with a gesturing finger for him to come closer so they could hear each other better over the music.

As she leaned close into his ear, he could smell the sweat and alcohol such an atmosphere would leave on a person's skin. He tried to not cringe at the scent.

'_Kiba would die of suffocation in a place like this…' _Naruto thought with a choke.

"You made it with only 20 seconds to spare!" The barista yelled next to his ear with a hand clasped over her mouth. "He's located on the top floor, level 42! You'd best not keep him waiting!"

Naruto nodded, hearing that perfectly, and before she was even able to lean back over her side of the bar, he was marching his way back through the crowd towards the entrance where the elevators were located. The look in his eye was enough to make anyone who made eye contact, high or not, to get the hell out of dodge or face the wrath of the determined man.

'_Molly…' _Naruto thought with focused eyes, pressing the call button next to the elevator doors after having to push a couple making out against the elevators doors out of his way. After a moment the doors pulled open slowly per his request.

As he stepped into the small compartment, the doors slowly began to close behind him before a small hand reached forward and grasped the sliding door, making it retreat once more to open. The screech of the reopening doors made Naruto flinch with anger.

Naruto turned to scowl at the person holding up his ascension before a lump was firmly placed on his head from a panting woman with a now twitching fist. He knew that punch all too well at this point. He rubbed his new lump with a subtle "ouch" creeping past his lips. Lifting his head casually, he saw the bright blue eyes of who he thought it was glaring into his own. The soft blue orbs before him swayed up and down slightly with the heavy panting she was expelling.

He knew a nagging lecture was coming his way.

"Do you always leave people behind, or are you just always a dick!?" Ino hollered as she continued to glare at Naruto, who was still rubbing his head slightly with an upset pout.

"I only got here with 20 seconds left…" Naruto replied heatedly, letting his hand fall away from his healing head. "If I waited even a second for you or explained what was going on, I wouldn't have made it… I wasn't trying to just leave you behind."

"Nope! Wrong answer!" Ino yelled, not realizing she was standing in the doorway of the small metal box, not letting the elevator doors close for them to ascend to Floor 42. "The correct answer is, 'Sorry, Ino-Chan! I won't let it happen again!' You dick!

"And don't you dare ever use that tone with me!" she said with gritted teeth, pointing a finger at his chest, trying to hold herself back from putting Naruto through the elevator wall.

Naruto sweat-dropped and decided that he would let pointless arguments die and just get her ass in the elevator so they could get going. He was starting to wonder if this was why Ero-Sennin never dealt with women besides his basic needs.

Quickly grabbing her wrist and yanking her inside, Naruto pressed the level button labeled 42. The doors slid closed and the elevator made a small jolt before slowly making its way up. The thumping music of the club muffled and died away, leaving the blonde duo in silence.

Naruto made a quick glance towards Ino, who was quietly standing there with her arms folded. She let soft curses creep past her lips while occasionally throwing a glare towards the focus of her frustration.

He smiled slightly and winked.

"So… What happened to all your bags?" Naruto asked in a calm tone, knowing getting her back into a calm-minded state was best for everyone in the building.

"Sealed them for now," she replied halfheartedly as she pulled a scroll from her equipment pouch before placing it back once more. "I also contacted the rest of the platoon. They should be sweeping the rest of the building for added information while we talk to The Lingerer."

"Good!" Naruto said with a smile and nod. "Now please, try and remember to stay calm and collected when we're talking to him… We need the information, and you going off out of nowhere will ruin everything," he said half-jokingly.

Ino quickly turned with a glare as she jabbed her finger into the side of his face with a growl.

"Me!? You're just as loudmouthed as me! What if _you_ fuck it up!?" she retorted, pulling her hand away with a grunted humph.

A soft chime rang out in the elevator, signaling that they had reached their destination. Naruto sighed heavily at the sound; he knew he wasn't going to enjoy this chat.

'_Screw it… We will roll with whatever happens…' _he thought dejectedly with a sweat drop as he walked through the opening doors.

The pair stepped into what looked like a waiting room. Two large men wearing black cloaks and matte black masks stepped forward to confront Naruto, who stood in front of Ino.

"Uzumaki Naruto of the Leaf?" One of the guards asked in a calm, yet deep voice.

"Yeah…?"

The guard took a quick glance over Naruto's shoulder to Ino, who looked ready to handle any situation that was thrown her way.

"We are afraid that only you may enter to see the lord," the masked guard informed, earning a surprised look from the pair and deflating Ino's inner psych up.

"Why is that? There was no such requirement when I came here before with my master," Naruto replied with squinted eyes.

"The lord said to only allow you inside his perimeters. I am sorry... those were his conditions."

Naruto looked between the two men for a moment before turning to Ino with a fake smile.

"Alright, well, I guess I'll head in alone," he said, earning a half nod from Ino, who knew that it was time to be serious and stop arguing. "I'll be back soon with what we need, and then maybe you can help me with the bags?"

Ino gave a quick nod and a fake smile as well before walking over to the side of the room where a couch had been placed. Taking her seat, she watched as one of the guards led Naruto to a pair of doors on the opposite side of the room and escorted him inside. As the other guard took up his original position by the elevator door, Ino made a quick note of what Naruto had just told her.

"_Maybe you can help me with the bags?" _

She thought calmly, remembering old codes that the academy had taught genin for private information. Codes were used in even, practical speech so that ninjas with hostile ears in the area couldn't know the information that had just been passed on. Each village had its own references for code words, keeping things with other ninja edgy.

Recalling the code word 'Bags' from her old textbooks, she straightened herself in her seat and took a breath.

'_Code 5467… Bags. The hidden meaning for death, or literal body bags…'_ she recalled with a bite of her lip. _'The information is easy to get, Naruto-kun; all you have to do is talk to the guy… But the assassination...'_

Another pair of guards entered the room from the doors Naruto had just left through and began to discuss mindless things in a language Ino wasn't familiar with. She kept them in peripheral vision at all times as she mindlessly looked over the room.

'_That's a little bit more difficult in a building like this. We can't just go gung ho and let jutsus fly with civilians in this building and bring the risk of literally bringing the roof down on top of them.'_

Ino continued to nibble on her lip as she tried to think of some kind of strategic way about her and Naruto's situation without her brilliant teammate here at the moment to do the work for her.

"Sigh…" She moaned with an irritated defeat, wishing she could trade places with Shikamaru at a time like this.

'_I can't even use my radio to contact him or the guards will no doubt see me… and I think going to the ladies room to do so wouldn't work out well either with these people.' _

Ino pouted as she listened to the guards murmur amongst themselves.

'_I hope you know what you're doing, Naruto-kun…'_

"Raise your arms, please." A guard patted Naruto down and confiscated all of his tools and equipment, dropping it into a bin next to the guard's desk. They were surprised to find Naruto didn't hide many weapons upon his person. He was never the sneaky type in the first place.

"All right, he's clean."

After his quick search, Naruto was informed to go down the hall and enter the brown door at the end. Doing as he was told, Naruto casually walked down the long, white hallway. The soft echoes of his footsteps on the hardwood floor were the only sounds to be heard.

Making his way to the end, he reached and pulled the slab open, entering the office without delay. Taking in his surroundings quickly, Naruto scanned the room with a turn of his head.

A small single desk office laid in the center. There were no windows or amenities in the room besides the desk and a large office chair that was facing away from the door. The only person other than Naruto and the man who sat turned away from him was a guard off to the side.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the chair facing away from him, blocking his view of the man occupying it. He cringed when a raspy voice spoke up.

"It's been a…. a long time, hasn't it, Naruto boy?" an older-sounding voice said from behind the chair, just louder than a whisper. "How have you been? Still keeping up with your old Sensei, I hope?"

Naruto glared at the back of the chair and let his fist ball at his side silently. He knew losing his temper was the last thing to do right now, but just that the fact the guy was being so nonchalant on a topic Naruto was not very fond with.

"Cut the crap… You know damn well he's dead," Naruto replied as calmly as he could muster, the knuckles on his closed fist popping. "Information like that doesn't get past your prying hands."

A soft giggle rang out, making Naruto bite his lip with disgust. _Maybe Ino would have done a better job at this, after all…_

"Ah yes… but I just had… to hear you say it." The Lingerer said with a giggle and grin. "But I do hope you're okay… wouldn't want you getting discouraged, after all."

Naruto smirked, taking the bait on his comment.

"Na… don't have to worry about me," he retorted, malice in his tone. "Unlike you… I'm not a cowardly pussy."

This earned a loud, boisterous laugh from the man behind the chair, and Naruto waited calmly for him to gather himself.

"Big talk coming from a man who curled up in his home for half a year because his friend got axed," the Lingerer countered, feeling the glare on the back of his head.

"Ah, Naruto, you haven't changed a bit!" the Lingerer whispered through his giggles as he slowly began to turn his chair towards Naruto. "But enough with the flirting… Let's talk business."

Looking into the man's eyes for the first time in years, Naruto took in the visual of the old piece of shit before him once again.

"Seems you haven't gotten any younger, either…" Naruto retorted with a "fuck you" smirk.

The short, balding man had a nerdy personality about him. His stubby body, yet large gut, made him disgusting to look at. The suit he wore looked to be about a size too small for that belly of his. The black blocker shades he always had on, even at night, made it hard to get a read on his eyes. The perviness that just enveloped the man's personality was appalling. Naruto despised the man.

"Now, Naruto… What brought you to seeking me out once again after all these years?" The Lingerer asked with a sly smirk that Naruto had no interest in returning. "You here to try one of my beautiful… women?"

Naruto had to choke back a disinterested laugh.

"You owe Konoha an I.O.U.… I plan on cashing that in," Naruto informed with a new found calmness about him. "I hope you haven't forgotten the favor we showed you four years ago?"

This earned a glaring smile from the older man across from him as a soft giggle escaped his lips. He leaned forward onto his desk.

"Ah… Is that so?" The lingerer replied in a whisper, as he tapped his fingers together while keeping his elbows on the desk top. "So… How may I be of service to you, young Naruto boy?"

Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture that he slid across the table so that it rested in front of The Lingerer. As he picked it up to examine it closer, Naruto spoke up firmly.

"That's Molly Matsuni, as I'm sure you know…" Naruto said, earning just a simple quick gaze from the Lingerer, who placed the photo back onto the table with a huff.

"What about her?" the old man asked while he placed a cigar in his mouth from a drawer next to him in his desk, lighting it.

"Where is she?" Naruto questioned dryly, showing he was in no mood for games.

The smoke from the cigar began to fill the air.

The Lingerer leaned back in his chair and played with the stubble on his face, showing he was thinking of how to answer the question. This did not go unnoticed by the already ill-tempered Jonin.

"I don't know…" he said, dramatically shallow.

"Bullshit!" Naruto shot back as quickly as The Lingerer had finished. "A high value target doesn't just drop off the face of your radar, even with a kidnapping."

The Lingerer just held his stone calm face as Naruto continued to stare him down, daring for him to try something.

"You're a perverted old man who kidnaps young women for your bastard brothels. You know every single thing there is to know on a target you're after, and I damn well know she was on your radar. So enough of the crap!" Naruto said with a raised voice as he slammed his fist onto the desk top.

"So… Where is she, old man!?"

The Lingerer licked his dry lips nervously and took a glance off to the side to see that his guard was still there, just in case. He knew Naruto was no one to play with anymore, not since all that he had heard of from the war.

"You flatter me," he responded with a puff of his cigar, blowing it over into Naruto's face.

"But I assure you… I… do not know." The Lingerer's words were firm, but Naruto's ever growing glare was beginning to make him uncomfortable.

The cheesy smile was beginning to falter from the man's complexion with the deeper Naruto glared into his blocked sunglasses. He gulped a dry breath to calm himself.

"Listen… I want to help you, boy… I really do," the man pleaded with a fake concern. "But information like this is very valuable. I mean, something like this can't just be handed over, even when it's a repaid favor…" he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Naruto's fist tightened at his side… He knew the slimy prick was going to try and pull something like this.

"You owe us, Old Man!" Naruto shot back as he slammed his palm down onto the desk, making the guard straighten up a bit and The Lingerer flinch.

"I know… Why you think you even got my invitation in the first place boy? That was the favor being repaid right there…" the Lingerer replied with a snicker and shit-eating grin. "Now, the information… well, that you will get… if you give me something …in exchange."

Naruto could feel himself on the verge of trembling with rage, but the calm emotionless demeanor he currently held gave no warning of the danger that lingered within. Not even Naruto himself knew of what dangers laid within himself anymore.

"What's your price…?" Naruto growled out, trying to be calm, earning a devilish grin from The Lingerer who once again took to rubbing his whiskered face.

After a brief moment of humming, the man opened a desk drawer and picked up a remote, pointing off to the side of the room and clicking one of the buttons. A secret panel opened to revel a large, flat screen television, with many views of security cameras all around the building. The Lingerer cooed in delight as he flicked through the camera views before he eventually landed on the one he was looking for.

Naruto's hair stood on end as he stared wide-eyed at the person he saw in the security video. Although it wasn't the wide eyed look of shock…

"That girl you brought with you… She's a Yamanaka, correct?" The Lingerer asked casually as he licked his perverted lips, watching the young woman sit patiently in the receptionist's room.

The guard could tell that his lord was completely oblivious to the almost smothering amount of killing intent that had just spiked when the ninja before him was shown the security video of the kunoichi. It was almost suffocating… he was practically stricken down in complete fear from the feeling. What terrified him even more though… was that it grew… the more his lord continued to run his mouth.

Naruto stood motionless with his eyes hidden away from sight. The eerie calmness that the man was holding himself with… should have been a red flag for anyone who wasn't insane.

"She would make a fortune if I put her in one of my… well, let's say 'brothels,' to be polite." The shit eating grin he held only grew the more his perverted mind continue to run rampant with thoughts of her. "What's wrong, boy? You need the information, correct…? So, what do you say, then…? Molly's location… for that Yamanaka cum dumpster?"

The Lingerer had to flinch and close his eyes as a warm, thick substance splattered across his face.

"W… What the-"

He wiped his eyes and pulled his hand away, seeing the dark red liquid that seeped through his fingers. He shook in horror as he slowly looked up from his dripping hands to see his guard's chest had just been rammed through by a clawed fist. It happened so fast he hadn't even see the blow or his guard's sacrifice to keep him alive. He gulped as Naruto ripped his arm free from the man's chest, watching his guard's lifeless body fall to the floor In front of him, leaving a large pool of blood slowly seeping into the hardwood floor.

Without even bothering to look at Naruto, the Lingerer dove for a hidden alarm button under his desk in horrified urgency. But before he could reach, his desk was thrown against the far wall of his office. The sound of the wood breaking and crackling with the impact made the Lingerer flinch in horror. He turned to beg for his life from the man walking slowly towards him, but was only able to get out a spit and blood-filled choke as a hand gripped his throat. The claws dug into his skin, causing droplets fall to the floor as he was lifted into the air and pinned to the wall.

He could feel his windpipe begin to crack with the force. Blood seeped from the side of his mouth.

"Where is she!?" A darker, more graveled voice spoke from the blonde hair man that was pinning him effortlessly against this office wall.

The Lingerer opened his eyes and stopped his flailing to free himself. What he locked eyes with… made his skin shiver… and his blood run cold.

He had seen horrifying things in his lifetime; death, gore, torture… But the eyes that currently stared into his soul? They were the eyes of no demon… nor monster… They were the eyes of pure evil.

"I said, where is she!?" Naruto growled out with a hiss as he reeled his fist back and struck it across the face of the man in his hand.

The impact of the blow made the wall crack behind the Lingerer. He could feel the bones in his cheek and jaw shatter, making even more blood spurt from his lips, splattering onto Naruto. Reeling his fist back once more for another blow, Naruto was ready to strike again if he didn't receive an answer.

"P… (Cough!) Please have… m… mercy!"

Naruto punched the man again, feeling the man's skull splinter under his blow. The more this dragged on… the darker Naruto seemed to get.

"Where is she!?"

The gurgle of blood was the only answer he got for a moment. He was about to send another blow into the man, not caring if it killed him. He was completely without reason at the moment, overcome by his inner rage… and something else.

"(Cough)… West…. (Cough)… West Point!" The Lingerer choked out, feeling his lungs begin to fill with blood. "We last saw h… her (Cough) at West Point… a week ago! (Cough)… That's all I know!"

Right at that moment, a large group of guards burst into the office, holding swords and kunais. They had been able to hear the rattle of the blows that rang through the walls. They all got into a fighting stance behind Naruto, one even ordering Naruto to surrender and let the man go.

With a slow turn of his head, Naruto looked back at the guards over his shoulder. The eyes they saw sent chills up their spines. Those were not the blue eyes they had seen just moments prior.

Naruto snickered, and before letting the man in his grasp free, he closed his grip around the man's neck. The popping and crunch of their lord's neck made a few men flinch in disgust. Blood splattered out from the crushing squeeze, splashing the wall and coating the floor he dangled above. A lot of it sprayed onto Naruto, coating his arm and chest, and a couple droplets sprinkling on his face.

He dropped the man and fully turned to face the guards that shivered in front of him. He narrowed his eyes and snickered before beginning to walk towards them with a grin. A dark cloud began seeping over him like a coat, engulfing his body.

An alarm sounded off throughout the building.

-20 Minutes Earlier-

The loud thumping of the club music was beginning to wear down Shikamaru's patience as he waited casually at the end of the back alleyway, waiting for Sakura and Hinata to get the drop on the two guards watching the back door. They had arrived shortly after Ino had entered the building after Naruto, deciding they would scout out the rest of the floors.

"(Whistle)"

Shikamaru sighed as he pushed off the wall he was leaning on and began making his way down the alley after hearing his cue that the guards had been taken care of.

Approaching the two bodies laying in the middle of the dark alley as a lofting cloud of smoke drifted into the air, Shikamaru smirked. Having Sakura drop the unsuspecting duo with sleep pellets was a good way to avoid confrontation.

"Alright, well, that was easy…" Sakura said blandly as she and Hinata made their way into the minimal light from the dark alley.

Shikamaru simply shrugged as he waited on Hinata's assessment as she scanned the building quickly with her Byakugan.

"We're clear," Hinata informed as she let her eyes relax back into their smooth pale violets. "Only guards left seem to be on the upper levels of the building."

Shikamaru nodded and turned the knob to the door and made his way inside, followed by his companions. They were located in a white brick-walled hallway that had wires and piping showing. It broke off in multiple directions the further they followed the path.

"We need to find the server room. If we can get some information on the Lingerer's brothels, we can possibly bring his whole operation to its knees," Shikamaru spoke up, trying find the appropriate door.

"Servers are usually kept in the basement!" Sakura chimed in, earning a nod from Shika.

"E… Either of you any good with computers?" Hinata asked with a concerned look as she got the reaction she was afraid of.

Two deadpan stares.

"(Sigh)… We will do our best…" Shikamaru said in a mumble.

After a few more minutes of walking, they finally came across the door they were looking for.

-Stairs-

After walking down 5 flights of stairs, the group finally reached the basement, finding it was surprisingly left unguarded.

"You'd think they would put more effort into protecting their information…" Sakura said casually with a deadpan stare.

Shikamaru simply shrugged, not bothered by the fact that it had taken less work than anticipated to get into the basement.

The damp, dark room was large, with hanging bulbs on chains being the only means to make heads or tails of the surroundings. Small towers of servers and computer storage stood in lines through the basement, with wiring running all over. Fans hummed in the stale air, working to keep the servers cool. It was a maze of technology.

"Where do we start in order to find what we're looking for?" Sakura asked with a pout as she glanced from one group of towers to the next. "I mean, I've used the hospital computers before but I've never… I guess, hacked one before."

"There has to be a monitor here somewhere we can use," Shikamaru said as he walked deeper into the basement, looking from right to left.

The stale, humid air was beginning to bother Shikamaru. He never understood how he always got stuck with the bothersome jobs.

"Over here!" Hinata called out, grabbing her friend's attention. In the corner of the room where she was standing, Hinata pulled a tarp away, revealing a small desk with a monitor and keyboard. She pressed the power button on the side.

The groggy whir of a fan and start up noise was heard as the small console fought its way back to life from its dust-covered restraints.

Jogging over, Sakura and Shikamaru smiled as the small screen came to life behind the dust covering it. Shikamaru sat down in the chair quickly and brought up the start menu with a couple clicks of the keyboard.

"Shit…"

"What?" Sakura asked with a raised brow at Shika's remark.

"This set up is years old… A basic search will take forever to find all the information were looking for," Shikamaru informed with a frown as he steadily typed away at the keyboard. "I'll try and focus on finding information on Molly first to at least help out if the meeting with the Lingerer doesn't work out, but I'm very doubtful."

"H… how long do you think it would take to find the information?" Hinata asked.

"Well, it's not even allowing me access to the information without passwords that I of course do not know… but it is telling me what information is in which memory tower," Shikamaru informed with new life in his voice.

"And what does that do for us?" Sakura asked, noticing the new pick me up in his tone.

"It means that I can just find out where the information on Molly is, or even the files on his brothels. Then we can simply steal the actual hard drive and memory from the towers here in the basement and hack in later back at the village," Shikamaru said with a grin, earning the same reaction from the girls behind him.

"Alright, then! Which tower are we ripping apart?" Sakura said with a new focus and determination.

"Tower 347 has some information on targets of noble families… I'll bet it has some information on Molly, as well," Shikamaru informed as Sakura ran off, looking for the computer tower desired to nab its hard drive.

"And it would seem tower 224 holds all the data on sales and purchases. So if we can just get ahold of those digital receipts, we can locate all of the brothels around the five nations!" Shikamaru said happily as he heard Hinata take off as well to find the desired tower.

Standing from his seated position in front of the monitor, Shikamaru reached down to push the power button to the screen before the loud screeching of an alarm jolted him from his relaxed demeanor.

EEP! EEP! EEP!

'_Shit… Things are never easy anymore…'_

EEP! EEP! EEEP!

Ino flinched as the alarm sounded off out of nowhere. The guards in front of her took off deeper into the building without hesitation while one stayed back and began walking towards her as she sat on the couch. Ino raised from her seat and locked eyes with the masked guard.

"What's going on?" Ino asked over the ring of the alarm. She could hear screaming and yelling from the guard's radio that was placed on his belt. It made the guard shiver as a blood curdling scream screeched through the device.

"Would seem you and your friend have outstayed your welcome! Time for you to go!" The guard yelled, grabbing Ino's arm to pull her towards the elevator.

Yet as soon as the guard grasped Ino's arm, she grabbed and spun herself so that she had bent the arm backwards. With her free arm, she threw her palm against the elbow of the twisted outstretched arm of the guard, breaking it with a snap.

The guard screamed in agony, but was put to rest from a twirling kick from Ino to the man's chin, knocking him out cold.

Regaining her balance, Ino quickly made her way to the door Naruto had left through earlier. Pushing it open, she found the guard's desk on the other side was empty and decided to head deeper into the compound.

As she made her way around a turn she halted to a stop as her voice caught in her throat. Her eyes widened at what laid before her.

'_My… gods…' _she thought with a short voice, looking over the havoc in the hallway.

Blood lined the walls and floor, dripping and running along its surfaces. Mangled and torn apart bodies strung throughout the hallways didn't make it an easy walk. The twitching of the bodies and severed limbs was enough to make any lesser ninja run for their lives. She walked carefully and slowly around turn after turn, only seeing more of the same as she progressed.

'_N… Naruto-Kun… are you…?'_ she thought with shock, trying to find her way to her companion. She hoped he was okay… and that whatever did this, hadn't gotten to him.

Eventually, a bloodcurdling scream caught her attention from the hallway just up to her left. She could feel herself tremble for some reason. She didn't know if it was fear of what she would see that made it hard to breathe… or the wafting aroma of blood.

"N… Naruto-Kun!" she called out. As she rounded the corner, her eyes widened, seeing the one she was looking for. She smiled brightly about to call out to him before realizing with horror what was going on.

He currently faced away from her, but the blood she could see plainly dripping off of his arms made her quiver. She made slow, calculating steps towards him. She felt ashamed to be doing so… This was Naruto-kun, after all….right?

"Naruto-Kun… are you okay?" she asked softly, choosing her steps carefully.

She noticed how a black, demonic chakra was drifting around his right arm, slowly receding back towards his palm. It almost looked like his Golden Fox Cloak was enveloping his arm, but it was dark black… not gold.

She stopped a few steps behind him, waiting for an answer to her calls. He stood there, motionlessly… not even looking as if he was breathing.

"Naruto-Kun…?"

With a slow turn of his head to look back over his shoulder, Ino locked eyes with pure evil. Her breath caught in her throat and her shoulders trembled. These weren't the eyes of the Naruto she held feelings for… these were the eyes of a cold-blooded murder. Not even the eyes of Kurama could compare to the amount of hate.

The whites of his eyes were not white at all… but black. The irises weren't his deep, loving blue, but a matted dark red. His pupils had shrunken to a point, the way a psycho's would look. They were eyes of pure darkness.

"Y… you're not Naruto…." she whispered with a trembling voice, earning a snicker from the man across from her.

Their gazes remained locked for a few moments longer, neither of them moving. Ino was about to run, afraid that if she stayed, she would end up just as the guards around her had. She was about to make a move to run, but stopped when Naruto began to grunt and grab at his head in pain. She watched in awe for a brief moment.

Naruto's posture waivered after a few moments of what seemed to be fighting himself before his body slacked. He began to tilt forward as his eyes shut, showing his immediate collapse. The black chakra that encircled his arm dissipated as he fell forward, face first onto the ground. His chest now rested in a puddle of blood from one of the guards… or perhaps the last guard.

Ino judged whether she should flee or help the man that looked like Naruto. After a moment of debate, she sprinted over to the downed Naruto, kneeling down on the maroon floor, not caring at the moment. She was able to pick him up and cradle him in her arms, flipping him over.

"Naruto… Kun?" she whispered as she held his head against her chest, watching his calm face and smooth breathing… He had just passed out. She pulled back one of his eye lids to see his normal blue eyes rolled slightly upwards. She sighed in relief that he was okay, but also that whatever…. that… thing… was she saw in his eyes… was gone.

Picking up a midway earpiece from her access bag, she placed it in her ear and around her neck, clicking it on with a static hiss.

"Shikamaru! Shikamaru, are you there?" Ino called into the radio, trying her best to sound calm.

After a moment of only static, she got a response.

"Yeah, I am here; what's up? What was that alarm?"

There was a pause after that question as Ino looked around at all of the bodies and blood around her. She gulped back her quivering voice.

"You just need to get up here quick, okay? Y… you're going to want to see this yourself."

After a brief confirmation from Shikamaru, Ino turned off the earpiece and turned back to Naruto. Something flashing on Naruto caught her eye.

She noticed how the bandages on his right arm had been burned off, showing his pulsating black Sun mark on his palm. It eventually leveled out back to its normal, white form, but Ino still watched it with a held breath. The blood that dripped from his fingertips made her gulp.

'_That damned thing again… was that where that black chakra was coming from?' s_he thought in concern, still holding Naruto in her kneeled lap.

She looked down with slightly trembling eyes as another movement caught her attention. She watched as fluttering eyes reopened to show the bright blue orbs she had known for so long. The dark black-red eyes were gone from his features.

"Ino-Chan? W… what happened?" a groggy Naruto asked as he slowly began to wake to his normal self.

Ino stared down at the man in her lap with shaking eyes and trembling shoulders. The confused and tired look he held on his face was the only thing keeping her grounded after all that had just happened in front of her. The blood that enveloped him and now her was beginning to dry.

'_Naruto-Kun… What's happening to you?' _

End Chapter 14


	16. Chapter 15 Wisdom, Strength, Family?

AN: (Happy St. Patrick's Day! Hope you enjoy!)

I'll be back with another one real soon! :)

Chapter 15 Wisdom, Strength, and Family?

The Master Suite was unnervingly quiet after the group arrived back from Club Gonza. No one could speak after having seen what had been left in the former office of the mysterious Lingerer. Everyone kind of just shuffled in and started doing mindless tasks, such as eating or cleaning tools. Each of them knew they had so many questions, they didn't know where to begin…

Sakura silently peeled an apple in the kitchen while running through her own thoughts. Hinata stood nearby with a calm demeanor, not wanting to show the fear she had welled up inside for the blond man she cared for. Shikamaru leaned against the living room wall, near the large couch in the middle of the room. He had his head down, his eyes closed. Ino was sitting down on the large sofa, playing with her hands. She had almost completely forgotten about the dried blood that coated her dainty figure almost head to toe from just holding Naruto upright.

Naruto… Naruto was sitting beside Ino, slowly and calculatingly rewrapping his right arm. The blood that had engulfed him earlier was dried and needed to be washed away. The look on his face was partially unreadable at a glance, but with enough attention… one could see the sorrowful confusion that he held in his eyes. He was just waiting for someone to speak, because he had no words to say.

"You guys okay?" Shikamaru asked in a low, almost whispered voice.

Ino and Naruto both looked up slightly to see the man leaning against the wall before them. He had been eyeing them for the past couple minutes.

"Yeah…" Ino replied softly, letting a small smile grace her face to show she was alright.

Naruto, on the other hand, did not respond, and instead just looked back down to his arm. He finished his wrapping with a slight tug, eyes concealed by shadow.

"You ready to talk?" Shikamaru asked again in the same low tone as before, looking over the man before him.

"What do you want to know?" Naruto responded in a graveled tone, finally looking up at his friend with a calm, yet tense face.

"Well… for starters… how you knew where to go to find the Lingerer," Shikamaru voiced with a raised brow, as Hinata and Sakura walked into the room to join in on the discussion. "More importantly… you want to tell us why, when we found you and Ino on the top floor, there were more bodies than we could count?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes in thought.

"I was left a letter by one of the Lingerer's runners. I wasn't able to tell who it was before, but now I do remember she was the same runner that had met with me and Ero-Sennin years ago. Now, as to what happened after that…" He growled in frustration at his own hazy memories. "If I told you I had no memory what's so ever of what happened up until about a couple minutes into entering club Gonza… would that make it easier on you… or scarier?"

"I think you know the answer to that," Shikamaru replied dryly, letting a frown cross his features. "But if that's how it is… tell us what you do remember."

Naruto leaned back to look up at the ceiling above.

"Ino-Chan and I were in an elevator… the doors opened… and blank." Naruto said in a shallow tone. "I honestly can't remember a damn thing after that… I couldn't tell you what happened or even what the lingerer even said…"

Shikamaru only sighed, having already assumed he would receive an answer such as that.

"Retrograde amnesia. Well then, Ino… do you have any information that can help us out here?"

Ino looked up from her lap, mouth agape as she looked from Shika to Naruto and back. She wasn't ready to discuss what she had seen; she knew it would only raise more concerns.

'Should I tell them... or would it only cause more problems for Naruto-Kun?'

After a brief moment of silence, Ino exhaled roughly and decided that no matter the effect… they, and especially he, needed to know.

"Naruto... when I got to you…" She paused, thinking of how to word the terror she had felt when she looked into his eyes.

Naruto looked at her with a small grin, showing it was okay for her to go on.

"When I got to you… you weren't… you."

"What do you mean, Ino-Chan? Was I in my fox form before I mastered the chakra cloak? If so, I really need to have a chat with Kuruma about th-'

"No, no, no…" Ino interrupted with a shake of her head. "It was nothing like that… It was more… more…"

Naruto and the others crowded around her with interest. The way Ino held herself as she spoke of what happened a mere couple hours ago made the room feel heavy; this was no slight concern.

"It felt so evil…" she finally choked out after a moment of inner turmoil. "Your demeanor… and your eyes… your eyes were so... so dark, and malicious."

Naruto listened with a heavy heart, his eyes drooping as she spoke.

"They were black… Pitch black, with red irises. They were so unlike your normal bright blues…"

Naruto perked up at hearing the description of the eyes… He felt that he himself had seen similar eyes himself some time ago.

'But where?' he asked himself as the room grew quiet, Ino struggling to word her next thought.

"And one last thing," Ino whispered, biting her lip slightly. "I didn't get a real good look at it, honestly… It was already beginning to recede as I found Naruto-kun, but… there was a black, smokey chakra coming out of your right arm."

Naruto closed his eyes at hearing this and let his head hang low. Out of everyone in the room, he himself was not just scared… he was terrified.

'What's happening to me?'

"Well… anything you can add to that, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked with concern in his eyes, watching the obviously distraught man.

There was a moment where all Naruto did was keep his eyes closed, appearing to be in thought; finally, he reopened his eyes.

"Alright, I just spoke with Kurama. We both have decided on what we know and what we can tell you all at this point in time." Naruto spoke calmly, yet firmly; he was clearly taking this very seriously.

"First off… we might have the slightest idea of what's going on, so let me just explain as best as I can…" Naruto scrunched his face in frustration and annoyance for a second, responding to the graveling voice in his head. "Well… actually, Kurama wants to speak, since he's afraid I won't understand what im talking about… bastard."

He received a few sweat drops and nods from the group.

Naruto took a small gasp of breath before his eyes changed into their well-known red slit form.

"**I don't think you guys know, but after the mission to the sword builder's home… Naruto and I lost the ability to use my fox cloak**," Kurama spoke, to the shock of the group.

"What? Why?" Sakura asked with a furrowed brow, voicing the question of their friends. Kurama focused his penetrating glare on her, making her squirm just a slight bit.

"**My chakra cloak is a blending of my own chakra and Naruto's chakra harmoniously. We are only able to do this because the boy was able to accept my darker chakra into his own light chakra." **

Hinata narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"What do you mean, 'light chakra?'"

"**About a year ago, Naruto had to confront the darker half of his own chakra. He had to accept this part of himself, or else he would be unable to use my cloak… with the risk that my dark chakra would swallow his deeper, more tainted feeling and emotions, plunging him into blackness… and changing him forever." **

The group just looked on in awe.

"**Truthfully, I wanted that to happen back then… It would have given me more leeway over the boy's body, hehee… but that time has passed."**

The group sweat-dropped once again, Ino giving an awkward cough.

"**He was able to accept this, however, and was able to blend his chakra with my own without the risk of his darker being grabbing hold and corrupting the bond. The Sun Mark gifted to him has a similar property about it. It channels the bond of his chakra and my own and amplifies it greatly, increasing the power I and he would get from my cloak normally**." He paused, then took a breath. **"Although, it does the same no matter what chakra it is given… whether its Naruto's normal chakra… or a darker one."**

The group nodded in understanding so far.

"**Recently, we have both found ourselves thinking darker things, and holding ourselves with a new edge. This is all because the dark chakra that Naruto was once able to accept and suppress has begun to grow once more. Since we are now connected through both seal and chakra, whatever he feels as a cause of this happens to myself... and to the other demons, as well.**"

Naruto/Kurama closed his eyes with a frown.

"**However, it gets worse… Over the past year, the inner anger and regret allowing this darker part of Naruto to grow and fester… has become overwhelming. My chakra latches onto Naruto's emotions, and this is how his and my chakra cling together, activating the cloak. However with this new darker chakra… it is now latching onto it…and not his normal. Because the mark amplifies my chakra, it also amplifies the dark chakra greatly… tainting my own chakra and bringing the dark being Naruto was able to suppress to the surface once more. This may be what Ino had seen when she saw black chakra on his right arm… It was my fox cloak… only blending not with his normal chakra… but with his darker." **

Kurama paused after his long explanation. The dark red, catlike eyes slowly molded back into Naruto's soft, sad blues.

"Just as my mark can amplify my light chakra and bring out the power within our cloak… it can do the same for anger and regret... and yes, can even appear evil." Naruto huffed in frustration.

The room was quiet after that. No one knew what to say once again. It felt like a bomb had just been dropped on them, and they were trying to sort out the damage.

"Can't you just get rid of it, the way you did before?" Sakura spoke up, trying to find a solution. "Kurama said you were able to get rid of it, or accept it before… Can't you do that again?!"

"It's not that simple…" Shikamaru chimed in.

"Well, why not!?" Ino almost hollered, feeling terrified for her blond hot head.

"Because my anger and sadness can't just be swept away… it's basic human emotion," Naruto answered with a saddened huff. "No… the only way to gain control over my cloak and even self-being once again would to be to stop the dark chakra from being amplified… I would need to remove this mark, or at least fix it so it will only use my normal chakra… Which would mean finding the Sage of Six Paths once again."

The group all sighed at this, physically deflating.

"So, what are you going to do?" Ino asked placing a hand upon his shoulder.

"Well... I'm guessing sealing the mark would only break or not work all together… so all I can do is not use it at all and put an end to me using the cloak for the time being. Kurama agrees." Naruto sighed. "Managing my emotions while using my chakra is now my main focus when in battle. It seems normally, I can act however I want… but when using chakra, I can't allow for my emotions to turn south… or I'll risk my demonic side grabbing hold, thanks to this damned mark."

Shikamaru sighed while rubbing his temples.

"Well, for now, that will have to work…" Skikamaru said with a sigh. "But we will try and think of something else in time. Really wish we knew a way of getting in touch with that Sage."

'You have no idea, Shika…' Naruto thought, putting on a forced smile for the sake of his friends.

"Well, we did accomplish the assassination… so thus far, the mission is a success," Sakura said happily, trying to lift everyone's spirits.

However, after a moment of silence Naruto's eyes shot open in horror as he grasped the side of his head with both hands.

"AHHH! I can't remember what the Lingerer said about Molly!" Naruto screamed as he mentally beat himself up. "How does crap like this always happen to me?!"

Sakura sighed with a smile, watching the man before her claw at his scalp before reaching into her bag and pulling out a small grey box with some cut cords sticking out the sides.

"You act like I haven't been on your team for 7 years…" she said with a playful jab at her friend. "We already got everything we need!"

Naruto looked at the box in her hand with a raised brow as he leaned in with a raised lower lip.

"What's tha-… Hey! What the hell is that supposed to mean!?"

-XXXX-

West Point - 1 Day Later – Late Afternoon.

A small fishing village, located just a few miles outside of the Land of Rivers, was bustling with fisherman and workers. The town only managed about a thousand people, and remained quiet for the most part unless there was a large fleet ship docked and unloading its haul from the sea... which was exactly what was happening at the moment. Men and woman alike bustled through the busy pier, trying to make their way through the winding pathways, where stands full of fresh and exotic fish were being bartered and sold. The soft smell of salt lingered in the air.

"Rumi!" A young, slender looking woman yelled out as she pushed her way through the crowd. "Rumi! Where are you?"

She looked to be about 20, with short, blonde hair and black, pupil-less eyes. She was small, probably no more than five feet tall. The overalls she wore were blue; they and the tattered and torn white shirt underneath showing the grime of her labor. The brown boots she wore looked worn and abused. The smell of fish lingered slightly about her person.

Her left arm was covered by a long, black, sleeved glove, oddly standing out from the rest of her outfit.

"You're so loud, Tarah," a huskier voice called back to her from behind, catching her interest.

Twirling with a wide smile, she caught sight of the man she was looking for.

The man seemed about the same age as she did, his light brown hair swept back behind his ears. He sported narrow eyes and a tall posture. Standing at an average 5'8", he was slender and nerdy looking. He was casually dressed, with a white button up tucked into his black slacks. He wore a nice watch and a slick pair of loafers.

Tarah ran forward and embraced the much taller man with glee, not noticing the creak of bones as she did so.

"Rumi! I missed you so much!" Tarah yelled out obnoxiously, drawing the eye of strangers who stood by as she held the man easily in the air. "You won't believe how many fish we caught this time! We must have gotten at least thirty barrels' full!"

The man in her arms squirmed and groaned as his face turned blue, pushing and pulling as hard as he could to get himself free of the death grip embracing him.

"T-Tarah! ...I can't… breathe!" He choked out before the now-embarrassed woman finally let go.

Rumi coughed as he patted his chest with a balled fist. Tarah watched with sorry eyes, having forgotten once again to hold back her strength.

"S…sorry, Neesan! I just got excited, and…" Tarah trailed off with a whisper and pout.

Rumi gathered himself and straightened up from his kneeled-over position. A smile plastered over his face, now back to its normal black color.

"It quite alright, Tarah. I know you didn't mean it," Rumi replied with a soft smile, only making her frown further.

The loss of conversation was picked up again quickly by Rumi, not wanting his sister to dwell in trivial matters.

"Why don't we head into town, Tarah? You can tell me all about your trip?" Rumi suggested as he motioned for them to begin walking away from the peer.

With a wide childlike grin, Tara sprinted off ahead of him with her arms outstretched like a plane as she ran. Her brother followed close behind… not minding at all that his sister was enjoying herself in the warm summer's day. He laughed as he walked a few yards behind her.

With a short step, Rumi stopped and looked over his shoulder, hair standing on the back of his neck. He felt eyes on him, giving him the chills. He scanned the crowd, but found nothing out of place, making him shrug and continue into town.

A short, red-haired man smirked disturbingly, briefly standing out before he stepped back and disappeared into the bustling market crowd. He needed to inform his companions.

-x-

"Hurry, Hurry! Dinner will get cold if you walk that slowly!" Tara yelled as she skipped home from the convenience store where they had decided to grab dinner before heading home for a movie. Her plastic bag filled with bentos and goodies swung loosely in her hand.

Sprinting up the steps to their small apartment, Tara burst rough the door, with Rumi following shorty behind, as usual.

"Hey, take of your boots! They're covered in mud!" Rumi yelled from the doorway as Tara sprinted away, paying him no mind as she rounded the corner into the dining room.

Rolling his eyes playfully, Rumi sat down to begin taking off his own shoes before a short gasp from down the hall caught his attention.

He looked back over his shoulder to where his sister had just run to.

"Hey..." he called out, but received no response. "Tara... you okay? You didn't fall again, did you...?"

The apartment was quiet.

He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as he realized the all of the lights in the small home were turned off… he had left them on before he left.

He shot to his feet and began to make his way down the hall. He turned into the living room, where he found Tara standing like a stone, staring off into a corner of the dark apartment. Her eyes were wide with fear, a bead of sweat runing down her dark face.

Rumi followed her gaze, but was only able to see the darkness the descending sun set their apartment into. He was about to turn his gaze back towards his sister before a figure began to emerge from the darkness.

His breath caught in his throat. He noted the ninja attire as his eyes jittered with hesitation. The message that wafted towards them almost brought the horrified Tara to tears.

"Hello, Tara Akiri…Rumi Akiri… I and my friends have been sent to fetch you.

Rumi gulped a dry breath as he realized that the man before them was not alone. Two more were settled off to either side of them, also being slightly masked by the lack of light.

Rumi narrowed his eyes, realizing the desperate situation he now found himself in… he knew something like this would happen eventually. After all, the abilities his sister and himself carried could be very valuable in the hands of another.

He calmed himself, a slight glow beginning to emerge from his left palm. Veins began to pop up on his forehead.

"I know why you are here… I knew someone would come sooner or later… All I want to know is... who are you?" Rumi asked with a low growl.

The man before him smiled.

"Miru Hito of Wisdom… living up to your name," he stated with a genuine smile. "I… I am Mikio U-... and these are my brothers."

Rumi almost blacked out at hearing the name… he had heard that family name before… everyone had.

"U….Uz-"

-XXXX-

The cooling breeze that lofted through the suite bedroom window moved the prickles of Naruto's hair ever so slightly. With his hands behind his head and eyes shut, he lay on the bed, lost in his own thoughts for the day. It had been slow and quiet since they sent off the hard drive to be inspected and cracked back at the village. Now, it was just a waiting game for the information they needed to be sent to them.

Naruto rolled to his side so the breeze could hit his face better.

He had been pretty quiet since the discussion the other night. He still couldn't remember much of what happened, a lot of it being a blur. Just the fact that he was angry… over what? He probably would never remember. The amount of blood that he had washed off his body as he bathed last night had given him a good indication that whatever it was… it made him rain hell upon the Lingerer and his goons. He sighed.

Everyone else had pretty much stayed to themselves for the last two days... or at least, that's what he thought; he hadn't left his room in about 20 hours, so he wasn't too sure. No one had come to check on him; wanting to give him his space, he guessed.

'Are they afraid of me now?' Naruto thought briefly before shaking his head, scolding himself for thinking something so childish.

'Still, though… I'm even a little afraid of myself…' Naruto huffed as he lifted his palm in front of his face, half-hidden in his pillow. He twiddled his fingers as he stared blankly at the bandaged hand.

"What would you do, Sasu-"

*Knock Knock*

Naruto heard his door creek open slightly behind him. He might have looked like he was sleeping, the way he lay back to the door. He was in casual clothes after all, adding to the image.

Whoever it was decided to step into the room and shut the door behind them with a soft click.

"Naruto… are you awake?" a softer voice called out to him; he knew it very well.

"I'm awake, Sakura-chan…" Naruto said in a mumble.

Sakura walked over and sat at the side of his bed. Still looking at his back, she frowned.

"No Neechan today?" she asked half-jokingly.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders and wiggled his head deeper into his pillow.

"I don't have to say it all the time… it's like a special thing, you know… say it too much, and it loses its oomph," he said blandly, getting a smile from Sakura, agreeing with him.

She scooted a little bit closer onto the bed and lay down next to him on her back, looking up at the ceiling. Naruto was actually a little surprised, but didn't show it.

The silence in the room was weird. He didn't know if she had decide to take a nap next to him or something, but luckily she spoke up once again before he had to roll over and check.

"You wanna talk?" she said off-handedly, making Naruto turn his head slightly to look over his shoulder.

"What?"

"I was just wondering if you needed someone to talk to…" she said calmly. "You've been cooped up in here all this time… I was worried about you. We all are."

Naruto rolled his head back towards the window, but this time with a slight smile upon his face. He had honestly expected Ino or maybe Hinata to be the ones to come and check on him first, but then again, Sakura was his best friend… they had done everything together… Sure, he could vent to Ino, but there were always things he could talk to Sakura about that he could never hope to with Ino.

"Did Ino or Hinata send you?" Naruto asked with a huff.

"No… but I did ask if Ino if she wanted to come check on you instead of me… She said it would be best if I went." Sakura looked out the corner of her eye at Naruto's back.

There was a moment of silence after that as she waited for him to respond.

"She's scared of me…" Naruto replied, emotionless.

Sakura threw an elbow into his back, just hard enough to get her point across, but not enough to hurt him.

"Shes not scared of you, Naruto," Sakura responded in a sweet tone. "She just wants to give you space… I think that's why she wanted me to come speak to you."

Naruto was silent for a moment.

"I don't know why she would feel that way," he finally said with a hurt tone.

Sakura frowned, watching the man beside her sigh deeply.

"Naruto… she's trying to process what she saw. I remember when I first saw you in the Four Tails cloak… I had no idea what to do. It took me a while to understand, and even longer for me to be able to talk to you about it. I think Ino is doing the same. She isn't scared of you… I think its more of a deep concern," she said softly. "She just wants you to be okay."

Naruto lay still for a while, before finally deciding to roll over to his other side and face Sakura. He found out by doing so that they were actually quite close to each other.

"Are you afraid of me, Sakura-Chan?" he asked, blue eyes wavering.

Sakura frowned and mimicked Naruto, rolling to her side and facing him with her arm tucked under her head for support.

"Scared 'for' you? Yes… of course I am, but scared 'of' you… never," she finished with a smile.

Naruto cast his eyes downward before pulling them shut.

"How can you say that…? I don't even know what I'm capable of anymore! And Kurama says I have to be emotionless in battle… or run the risk of becoming whatever it was that Ino saw."

Sakura stared at his continuously contorting face.

"What if it's not a bunch of goons next time, Sakura-Chan? What if it's you… or Ino… o-or-"

Naruto was taken off guard as Sakura pulled him into a hug her face burying into his chest.

"Then we will be there to stop you…" Sakura said, her voice slightly muffled. "I have no intentions of dying yet, and definitely not by you or… whatever is inside of you right now. I'll stop you, and help you Naruto… I've lost so much over the years… I'm not gonna lose you, too… not again."

Naruto looked down at her with wide eyes before returning the hug.

"Thank you, Sakura-Neechan…" Naruto mumbled, resting his chin on the top of her head.

-X-

They must have stayed that way for a while, because when Naruto reopened his eyes and scanned the room, the afternoon sun was peering through his window. Sakura was gone.

'I fell asleep…that's embarrassing'

He groaned as he sat up and lifted himself off of the bed, stretching his arms over his head with a couple of pops and creeks.

Opening the door to his bedroom, he noted the wafting aroma of freshly cooked food. Someone must have be cooking dinner for the team.

He made his way down the hall and into the living room. He found Ino and Hinata working away in the kitchen, a nearby radio filling the room with music. Shikamaru was on the couch, watching some shogii tournament on the large TV. Naruto didn't even know they put boring stuff like that on TV.

Sakura was out on the porch, reading some book she must have picked up from a store in town.

After looking over the room grudgingly, he wandered forward into the kitchen and sat down at the table with a slump. The smell of whatever they were cooking was intoxicating, piquing his hunger. He noted how no one had noticed him yet, at least, to his knowledge, as the girls cooked with their back to him. If they had, they certainly didn't greet him in any way.

He noticed a small bowl of fruit on the table that the resort staff must put out for the high end guests. He looked over the fruit, not paying much mind to his surroundings.

He picked up an orange and rolled it in his hands, inspecting it for blemishes or imperfections. He was just about to begin peeling it when suddenly, a hand smaller and definitely softer than his own grabbed the orange from his grasp. He flinched reflexively and reeled his head back to look up at the figure now looming over him.

His bright blues met hers, and for a brief moment, there were no words spoken.

"You're going to spoil the dinner Hinata and I slaved over if you eat this, idiot," Ino said with a glare as she looked at the dumbfounded man. She smirked.

"Would you wipe that frown off your face, already? It's gonna bring down everyone's mood," she said with a smile, poking him in the cheek playfully. "Sakura told me what you said…"

Naruto perked up slightly.

"I think what she told you matches my feelings as well perfectly, okay? So don't feel so down all the time!" She said cheerfully with a wink. "We'll figure this out!"

Putting the orange back in the bowl, she turned on her heel and strolled back towards the kitchen, whistling as loudly as she could.

"Dinner's about to be served!" she yelled happily.

Naruto looked at her dainty figure stroll away as a warm red blush and grin spread over his features…

'Ino-Chan….'

The rest of the evening was spent quietly, everyone eating and continuing to rummage around the suite, trying to find things to occupy the mind. Naruto waited patiently. He knew his team wasn't speaking to him not as a means to send a message or make him feel bad, yet… the lack of attention he was getting from his friends… wasn't helping in the slightest.

He cleaned the kitchen alone after the meal and then watched as his team settled down to watch a movie in the den. No one seemed to pay any mind to what had happened just a day prior, and despite what Sakura had told him… he still felt uneasy.

'Humph…' Naruto grumbled to himself in boredom as he walked out the kitchen, not really in the mood to sit still and watch a sappy love story. He rolled his eyes and made his way down the hall.

He found himself in his room once more… alone with his thoughts, and his head hanging lower than it had in a while. He just stood there in the doorway of his guest room, staring blankly ahead towards the now dark window across from him. He loathed his reflection off of the dark slick glass.

He had nothing to say to himself or anything to grumble about in anger or disdain. Nothing to ask and no one who could give him an answer or advice. He felt lost in his own body, without an answer to a single question he had for himself.

Yet… he held some confidence in his eyes. He heard soft giggles from the girls down the hall, reacting to something that must have happened in the movie. Naruto smiled.

"I wont let anything happen to them…" he mumbled as he looked back to the window and his dark shadowed reflection. He scowled. "Not even from you…"

*Click click* *Click click*

Naruto was taken off guard as his window was tapped at by something he couldn't see through the darkened glass. With a new curiosity and raised brow, he walked over to the glass and peered through with squinting, childlike eyes.

He was about to brush it off as the wind or a tree, when out of nowhere, a large bird smashed against the glass on the opposite side with a heavy thud, forcing the window open violently.

"Gwahhh!" Naruto hollered with shock as he fell to the floor in a heap, as the bird soared inside and landed smoothly atop his night stand with a flutter.

Naruto mumbled curses under his breath as he looked up from the floor to see what had entered his room like a bat out of hell. His eyes widened as his gaze met the black glossy eyes of a carrier pigeon.

"Are you-!?" Naruto began to ask before he noticed the Konoha Leaf messenger bag the bird had strapped to its leg.

Naruto jumped to his feet, unbuckling the strap and letting the small, pencil thin scroll fall into his hand. As soon as the pigeon had seen the scroll in Naruto's possession, it took off like a rocket once again out the window and into the night sky.

'Dumb bird!' Naruto grumbled to himself with narrow eyes, not wanting to admit that it had startled him once again.

Sighing, he unfolded the scroll with a ruffle as he glanced over the information. He huffed and rerolled the tiny piece of paperwork back up. He quickly did a turn on his heel and made his way out the room and down the hall, back towards his comrades.

He walked in and casually tossed the parchment over to Shikamaru, who caught it easily, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Pass that letter around and be ready to gear up by 6 sharp tomorrow morning… We're headed to West Point."

-X-

The whistle of the morning air through the leaves was calming to the nerves as the team moved swiftly. West Point wasn't that far from Liquor; it was also located in the Land of Rivers, just south and located right next to the ocean.

This was normally a two hour journey for a ninja, but only an hour's journey for an antsy Naruto and company, who held an air of urgency about them. The scroll Naruto had read to them last night made it clear that they had little to no time to waste.

_Team Uzumaki,_

_We were able to crack the hard drive that you sent to us easily, but the information located was cryptic, to say the least. Despite this, we were able to decipher the location of Molly Mitsuni's last know location, according to the Lingerer's trackers. She was last seen at West Point fishing village, located southwest of your current location. Although this is great news to help you pick up your trail, we also must inform you of what has recently happened in West Point. A little over a day ago, the village was attacked by an unknown entity, leaving a large section of the small town in disrepair. As reported to us, a young woman in her twenties was kidnapped, and another member of her family is in critical condition. We have been given permission to meet with this family member at the town's local inn, where they have been taking care of him. Please have your medical personnel help with this member's recovery and see what he knows. Your mission and this attack may be intertwined. _

_Good luck. – _

_Mission #223429835_

The report wasn't wrong; upon arriving at the small town , they could see there wasn't a whole lot left. Maybe a few shops and markets, but most of the housing and business had been swept clean. Piles of rubble and wood stood in their place. Villagers were still cleaning up with wheelbarrows and whatever they could find to carry rubble away, clearing the streets of the battle that must have taken place.

Naruto strolled through the streets with a similar feeling to what he had when arriving to Old Man Hiro's place. He hadn't been able to meet the man at the village inn yet, but Naruto already knew before even a word had been spoken…. this had been caused by the same group that took Molly.

A lump of anger walloped in Naruto throat as he scanned the area, occasionally glancing at his friends faces and seeing similar looks upon their own.

'Two times….' Naruto thought bitterly with a balled fist at his side. 'Two times, these people have left nothing but death and destruction in their wake…'

The feeling was mutual among the group.

At last, they reached their destination. A small house-sized inn stood out from among the wreckage, somehow having been overlooked by the destruction all around. It was old and weather-beaten, but it held strong, with a sign hanging off the side, reading, "Hendricks Family Inn."

Naruto let his shoulders soften and his brow relax as he made his way inside.

Looking around, they could see that the inn had been made into a small medical care bunker, with maybe twenty people inside; people leaned up against doors and were even sprawled out on the floor. Moans of pain rang throughout the room. A small group of nurses from nearby towns were doing their best to keep everyone stable with what little they had to work with. They moved around, helpless and frantic, from person to person.

"Sakura, Ino, Hinata… see what you guys can do," Naruto mumbled out over his shoulder, earning a nod from the trio.

Naruto stood with Shikamaru near the door as they watched the young and elderly alike being tended to by his team. The soft hiss of chakra sealing wounds tickled the air, slowly replacing the sound of the moans of pain. Naruto smiled slightly as he leaned against the door frame, seeing the pain being eased.

"You must be Uzumaki-San?" an older woman said as she carefully wound her way around the injured men and woman who lined the floor, being sure not to step on a hand or foot by accident.

"Yes… We were sent by Konoha to help with the injured," Naruto said, knowing his words were only half true. He took in the short older woman before him.

"Well… we definetely appreciate that!" she said with a sad smile. "But I'm sure you also want to speak to Rumi-San… correct? I've dealt with the Konoha military before, so I know questioning is always to come…"

Naruto raised his brow, but with a narrowed eye.

"Was he the one who was attacked by the assailants?" he asked with a stern tone, earning a nod from the older woman and a pitying look.

"He and his sister, yes... but he wasn't in very good shape to give up information to us before… Hopefully, you will be more successful…" she said with a mumble as she turned away, motioning for them to follow her through the home. They made sure to carefully weave their way through the injured.

The group made their way up the old stairs and into the rooming part of the house. They saw more injured and needy located in the rooms. Ino worked away on a man's arm that appeared to have been crushed under some rubble as they passed a room to continue down the hallway.

Upon reaching a room that was noticeably devoid of the moans and groans of pain that previous ones held, the elderly woman stopped and ushered Shikamaru and Naruto in.

There was a single bed and a night stand beside it at the far back end of the room. A few jury-rigged IVs and water bags were sitting next to the bed, held up by lamps and coat hangers. The soft trickle of the water droplets could be heard. A young man lay in the bed with his eyes closed, his forehead and body covered in bandages. The soft smell of dried blood still hung in the air from the partially healed wounds.

The older woman bowed slightly and left the men to speak.

Naruto walked over to the side of the bed, taking in the man's features, or at least as much as he could see from the overlapping bandages. A soft snore could be heard as the man's chest raised and fell easily, making it hard for Naruto to want to wake up this poor, injured civilian.

'I'm so tired of seeing people like this…' Naruto grumbled to himself.

Naruto pulled out a chair that was tucked near the side of the room to the edge of the bed with a skittish creek.

Naruto sat quietly, just watching over him, not looking or making a move to stop his slumber. Shikamaru stood nearby, casually looking out the window on the opposite side of the room.

"Mr. Rumi…" Naruto asked sternly, leaning forward to give a slight shake of the man's shoulder.

A soft groan escaped Rumi's lips as his eyes fluttered open ever so slightly, taking in the afternoon light. He remained still, his bruised and beaten face towards the ceiling.

" … can you hear me?" Naruto questioned softly, not wanting to startle the man.

"I… can hear you..." Rumi mumbled out, licking his lips.

Naruto leaned a glass of water in Rumi's direction for him to lean forward and take a sip, which he took gratefully, before placing the glass back onto the table.

"Mr. Rumi, my friend and I are from Konoha…" Naruto said softly, with his elbows on his knees. "We've come to help."

Rumi turned his head away from the ceiling and looked politely at Naruto, a soft wince of pain flashing across his face as he did so.

"Good evening… Uzumaki Naruto-San…" Rumi mumbled with a small smile.

Naruto and Shikamaru reeled back with wide eyes, sharing a glance with each other.

"You… you know me?" Naruto said with a look of shock as he ponted at himself with a thumb.

Rumi smiled even deeper, having known it would confuse him.

"Of course… I asked for you personally when the town sent in the distress message," Rumi said, turning to looking deeper into Naruto's features with a slow, prying gaze.

Naruto looked down with a furrowed brow with a thumb on his chin.

'Never heard anything about that...' he and Shikamaru thought in tandem.

"Why would you request me personally, ?" Naruto asked with a raised brow and crossed arms.

"Everyone knows about you because of the war… and I've seen the posters and fliers with your face. I had hoped… that if I could get the Blazing Angel of Konoha's help… we could make it."

Naruto smiled with a tinge of pride tugging at his heart.

"But… that is only partially why I needed to speak to you…." Rumi mumbled.

Naruto noticed how his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched with a click.

"I asked you to come… Because of your family… Naruto-San…"

Rumi's eyes narrowed, while Naruto's and Shikamaru's widened with those words.

A bone chilling curl of dread washed over Naruto as he listened. The questions he had to find answers for just wouldn't stop growing…

"Those people that attacked us…. They referred to themselves as… Uzumakis, Naruto-San"


End file.
